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4 Reasons To Bring Your Child to a Chiropractic Appointment

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 14:36:30 GMT

Many people may view a chiropractor as someone who treats older patients with back pains. While treatment and care for current ailments is important, preventative treatment can go a long way in preventing pains in the future. As your child grows and thrives, you want to ensure they remain healthy and have the literal support on their back and shoulders.

Every child is different, but you will find four common reasons to bring your child to a chiropractic appointment. Treatment options can help improve their posture, muscle support, and overall spine health. Check out these reasons and learn some of the ways a child may already do damage to their back and body.

1. Growth Spurts and Body Pains

A child may go through big grow spurts as they grow older. Those growth spurts can come on quick and create body pains in a child as they adjust. Help the process go smoothly with the help of a chiropractor. A chiropractor can offer treatments and physical movements to help reduce aches and pains.

If a child's body grows quickly, a chiropractor can offer alignment treatments to ensure everything develops correctly and will not lead to back problems in the future. You can book a regular schedule of appointments to ensure the process goes smoothly and your child goes through growth changes with minimal pain and discomfort.

2. In-School Posture

Children spends hours of their day at a school desk. The hard chairs with limited movement can resort to a lot of postures. Your child may lean forward often and put pressure on their lower back. They may lean to the side and not support the spine at all. Eventually, they may develop habits that create worsening conditions for the back, shoulders, and spine.

A chiropractor can offer spine realignment and a full examination to notice any damage or patterns. They could also provide treatments for the neck. Along with treatment options, a chiropractor can teach a child proper posture and form. This may include sitting for long periods of time and exercises to help stretch out certain muscles that may tighten up.

An improvement of in-school posture will lead to more benefits down the line and help create healthy habits that carry on through adulthood.

3. Youth Sports

If your child plays a lot of youth sports, then they could suffer through a wide range of aches and pains. Very physical sports like hockey and football can create physical damage to areas of the body. Sports with repetitive motions like baseball can also create major pains.

A regular visit to a chiropractor can help analyze these injuries and give your child some relief. During the off-season, a child can through various adjustments and treatments to help let their body heal and make it as strong as possible for the upcoming season.

If you child has suffered a sports injury, then you may seek out chiropractic care as well. Rehabilitation will help prevent injury re-occurrence and will teach a child ways to avoid further injuries in specific locations.

4. Sleeping Habits

The sleeping habits of a child can impact their spine and neck. Too many pillows, a small mattress, or not sleeping in their bed enough can all have a big impact on their bodies. A chiropractor can look at trends and habits. They can give recommendations for specific pillows and mattress types to support a child's body.

Simple changes can make a big difference on the way a child sleeps. Not only will they reduce aches and pains, but they can get a better night's sleep as well.

Book an appointment with us at Corner Chiropractic Center . Your child can visit with one of our professional chiropractor to complete a full-body analysis and provide the best treatment options so they grow into adulthood with a healthy back and neck.

Your Guide to Sciatic Pain

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 20:27:48 GMT

Back pain is incredibly common among adults. If you have lower back pain, you may struggle with sciatic pain, which can make it hard to enjoy your life. If you have lower back pain and want to know more about sciatic pain to determine if you should seek treatment, keep reading.

What Is Sciatic Pain?

Your body has lots of small and large nerves that help control the body. The sciatic nerve is the thickest in the body, and you have a sciatic nerve for each leg. The nerves stem from each side of the base of the spine and down both legs. As a result, it is largely responsible for the back of the leg.
The nerve passes through a lot of tissues and structures, including deep under the gluteus maximus. For this reason, irritation, damage, and wear and tear can put pressure on the nerve. This pressure impacts its ability to work properly, which can lead to a wide array of complications, particularly pain and discomfort.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatic Pain?

Sciatica or sciatic nerve pain may develop in both legs, but patients usually only develop it in one leg. Depending on the severity, your pain may feel sharp, and it may worsen right after you sit or stand. Certain movements like bending backwards or coughing may also trigger nerve pain. Some patients also have weakness or numbness from the pinched nerve.

Unlike other types of lower back pain, sciatic pain quickly radiates down the legs because the nerve is so large and runs the entire length of the leg. It may even reach the bottom of your foot, making it difficult to walk properly, which can further exacerbate pain and complications.

What Causes Sciatic Pain?

Any condition that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause sciatic pain. This may include:

Slipped disk
Herniated disk
Spinal stenosis
Pelvic injury

In addition, there are some risk factors, such as age. Older patients tend to have more wear and tear or age-related changes, which can impact the nerve. Many risk factors, however, are lifestyle choices, such as being obese or sitting for prolonged periods of time. Other risk factors may include:

Having a previous injury that weakens the back
Having a weak core
Having a job that requires a lot of bending and twisting
Lifting with your back instead of your legs

How Can You Prevent Sciatic Pain?

There are a few steps you can take to reduce your sciatic pain. First, avoid hurting yourself by learning to lift properly and increasing your core strength with exercise. In fact, exercise is also a great way to help fight obesity. With a healthy diet and good exercise, you can lose weight and take excess stress and weight off the body.

You can also prevent sciatic pain by stretching to keep the muscles limber. Other ways to prevent sciatic pain include the following:

Use good posture
Stop smoking
Rest when needed
Take breaks from sitting to stand and move

How Can a Chiropractor Treat Sciatic Pain?

If you already have sciatic pain, a chiropractor can help. First, they offer modalities like heat, massage, TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerves stimulation), and ultrasounds, which can help fight some inflammation and irritation by helping the muscles relax. This alone may take off some of the pressure on the nerves.

The chiropractor can also provide various type of manipulation to help open the spine and hips. They may also use special techniques like traction to better stretch between the vertebrae. Your chiropractor may also offer exercises and stretches that can help strengthen your back and hips to reduce the risk of future complications.

If it seems like your lower back pain spreads down your legs, you may have sciatica. Luckily, sciatica is common and can be helped with chiropractic care and lifestyle changes. If you would like to know more, contact us at Corner Chiropractic Center today.

Chiropractic Care for Foot Problems: A Guide

Thu, 11 May 2023 06:55:08 GMT

You might not give much thought to your feet as long as they seem to function without complaint. However, when a musculoskeletal problem leads to chronic foot pain, or when a foot problem causes trouble elsewhere in your body, you may need to talk to your chiropractor about drug-free, surgery-free treatment options.

Once you understand the complex causes and effects involving the structure of your feet, your spinal alignment, and your overall wellness, you and your chiropractor can have an informed discussion about how to get the problem under control for the long term. Put your feet up long enough to peruse the following guide to chiropractic care for foot problems.

How Spinal Alignment Problems Cause Foot Pain

The feet receive motor and sensory signals from the brain via the spinal cord, which branches out into major leg nerves such as the sciatic nerve. Unfortunately, a problem in the lower spine can compress the spinal nerve branches that serve these nerves, causing pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the feet.

Conditions like spinal stenosis, a herniated disc, or a vertebral misalignment can cause this kind of nerve compression. However, the sciatic nerve and other major nerves can also experience compression due to poor alignment in the hip, knee, or ankle. A thorough spinal and postural exam can help pinpoint the source of the trouble.

How Foot Abnormalities Cau se Discomfort Elsewhere

Just as the state of your spine can affect your feet, the state of your feet can affect your spine. Normally, the arches of your feet cushion impacts and lend the feet necessary support as you stand or shift your weight. If you have an arch problem such as flat feet, the resulting imbalance can transfer stress to your lower back.

Furthermore, arch problems can affect your feet and back at the same time. In one common condition known as plantar fasciitis, the tissues in your arches become inflamed and painful due to inadequate support. The hallmark symptom of this disorder involves heel pain that feels especially severe when you first use your feet in the morning.

How Chiropractic Care Can Treat Your Foot-Related Issues

Unlike other treatment approaches that focus on muting surface-level symptoms, chiropractic care focuses on correcting the underlying cause of those symptoms when they originate in the spinal cord. Your chiropractic treatment plan may include multiple treatment modalities aimed at improving your musculoskeletal function and eliminating nerve compression.

If your trouble stems from a spinal misalignment, your chiropractor can make adjustments to the joints involved. Even a small spinal adjustment can dramatically alter your posture and relieve nerve compression. Non-surgical spinal decompression can treat nerve symptoms caused by a herniated disc.

Chiropractic care can also treat problems originating in the feet themselves. For instance, adjustments to the joints in the feet can often ease painful issues such as arthritis. If you have flat feet, your chiropractor may prescribe custom-fitted orthotic insoles to provide extra arch support.

How You Can Avoid Future Foot Problems

Once your chiropractor has fixed your immediate foot issues, preventative care can help your feet to thrive. If you have flat feet, For example, always wear footwear with plenty of arch support, take frequent work breaks instead of standing for hours, and consider losing any excess weight that may be putting extra pressure on your feet.

Periodic chiropractic wellness exams can help you keep your spinal column in good shape, preventing the nerve compression that can create foot weakness and discomfort. Exercise can strengthen the muscles that support your spine, permitting a straighter posture and easing stress on the spinal column.

If you believe that a misalignment in your feet lies at the heart of your pain, stiffness, or other symptoms, sched ule an appointment at Corner Chiropractic Center. We can evaluate your spinal alignment and foot structure to find the source of your discomfort and prescribe any necessary care to get you back on your feet.

Signs You Need To Visit a Chiropractor After a Car Accident

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 15:34:47 GMT

Car accidents can lead to different types of injuries, including fractures and broken bones, whiplash, traumatic brain injury, concussions, scrapes and cuts, and bruises. While some of these injuries may not show up right after a car accident, they can take days, weeks, or even months for symptoms to appear.

Visiting a chiropractor can help diagnose and treat hidden injuries, reduce inflammation and long-term pain, and restore mobility.

A professional chiropractor diagnoses your condition and designs the best treatment plan tailored to your personal injuries and needs. Your chiropractor will use various types of chiropractic treatment to speed up recovery without medication or invasive treatments. These treatments may include whiplash treatment, manual therapy, electric stimulation, and spinal manipulation.

But as a car accident victim, how do you know you need to seek chiropractic treatment? Discover some signs that you need to visit a chiropractor after a car accident.

Pain
If you're involved in a car crash or collision, you may experience acute or chronic pain, especially in the back, joints, and neck region. Acute is sudden and sharp pain, which can be due to whiplash, herniated or bulging disc, sprains, strains, and bruises. Chronic pain can last months after the car accident and can be mild or severe.

Even if you don't feel hurt, you might need to seek treatment as the pain might be delayed due to fight-or-flight response and adrenaline rush in your body. The body's reaction decreases its ability to feel pain, so you may not realize you are hurt until hours or days after the accident.
Chiropractic care can help you identify the root cause of your pain and provide treatment. Even if you have no signs of injuries or pain, your chiropractor will conduct a medical evaluation to diagnose and treat any hidden issue that may cause you problems in the future.

Numbness
Pinched or damaged nerves and misaligned spinal discs can lead to numbness and tingling sensation in different parts of your body, especially the neck and back. If you experience numbness or tingling after a car accident, book an appointment with a chiropractor. The doctor will prescribe a treatment plan, which may involve non-invasive chiropractic adjustments to relieve this feeling.

Stiffness
After a car accident, you may feel stiffness mostly in the upper body — the arms, neck, shoulders, head, or upper back. Experiencing stiffness in such areas not only causes discomfort but can also be a sign of serious injury in your body. If you notice stiffness after a car accident, visit a chiropractor for a safe and effective treatment to manage stiffness.

Inflammation
When your body is involved in a traumatic experience like a car crash, it will try to protect itself from further injuries and damage, leading to inflammation. The inflammation may result from stretching or macro-tears of ligaments and muscles, broken bones, or lacerations.

If it is not diagnosed and treated, inflammation can cause chronic pain, such as post-traumatic arthritis or long-term health issues. A chiropractor can identify the cause and customize the treatment method to reduce inflammation.

Sleeping Problems
Physical injuries and the psychological impact of an auto accident can cause sleep disturbance or insomnia in car accident victims. Your chiropractor can help ease any muscle tension causing restlessness, relieve discomfort and pain, enhance blood flow, and relax your entire body to improve sleep quality after an accident.

If you are experiencing any of these signs or have been involved in a car crash, you need to seek chiropractic care for a full recovery. These experts have the necessary experience and skills to make a full diagnosis and create a personalized treatment plan for you. If you're a car crash victim, contact Corner Chiropractic Center for quality chiropractic services.

4 Problems Treated by Cervical Chiropractic Care

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 15:31:15 GMT

Spinal problems can cause trouble for more than just your back. The human spinal column includes a series of vertebrae that run from the upper spine and up through your neck. This area, known as the cervical spine, can experience a variety of different issues that leave you struggling with pain, stiffness, and other debilitating symptoms.

Thankfully, you can often rid yourself of those symptoms with the aid of a skilled, experienced chiropractor who knows how to correct any imbalances in the cervical spine. Take a look at four common cervical spinal issues your chiropractor can help you overcome.

1. Whiplash Injuries
Whiplash injuries are one of the most potentially devastating injuries you can experience in the neck. A forceful jolt from a sport, vehicle, or workplace accident can throw your head forward and back at a rapid speed. This action may damage the neck's soft tissues and push the cervical vertebrae out of their normal positions.

Your chiropractor can order an X-ray of your spine to evaluate whether your cervical spinal column has fallen out of alignment. If this is the case, chiropractic adjustments can carefully shift the errant bones and joints back into their preferred positions, relieving acute pain, dizziness, and other symptoms associated with this kind of injury.

Since whiplash can impact the neck's muscles, tendons, and ligaments as well as its vertebrae, you may benefit from a comprehensive treatment plan that includes multiple forms of care. Your chiropractor might recommend physical therapy, massage therapy, and other techniques to help your neck heal completely.

2. Chronic Neck Stiffness
You may experience an occasional wave of neck stiffness if you pull a neck muscle during physical activity or sleep with your head at an awkward angle. However, if you suffer from chronic neck stiffness that makes turning your head difficult, you may need to get the underlying cause diagnosed and treated.

Your chronic neck stiffness may stem from a cervical spinal misalignment that causes your head to sit at an asymmetrical angle, which then places undue strain on your neck muscles. A chiropractic adjustment can straighten the alignment between your skull and your cervical spine, which will help ease this burden and its painful symptoms.

3. Tension Headaches
If you suffer from chronic headaches, the real problem may lie with your neck, not your head. The most common kind of headache, known as a tension headache, usually develops when abnormal stress at the top of the neck pulls on sensitive tissues, which then send pain signals through the head.

The soft tissue strain that triggers tension headaches can occur due to a cervical spinal misalignment, poor head and neck posture, holding the head in a fixed position for an extended period of time, teeth clenching, dehydration, and nutritional deficiencies. A detailed examination by your chiropractor can determine whether or not your headache is caused by misalignment in the cervical spine.

Chiropractors do more than adjust your spine to ease pain; they also offer detailed health and wellness advice to help their patients avoid future pain. Your chiropractor may suggest that you take more frequent work breaks, perform stretching exercises, drink more water, or alter your nutritional intake.

4. Cervical Radiculopathy
Your vertebrae envelop the spinal cord while permitting major nerves to extend through small spaces and into your upper extremities. Alignment problems in the cervical vertebrae or a bulging cervical disc can result in cervical radiculopathy, which causes numbness, tingling, weakness, and/or pain in the arm or hand.

Cervical spinal adjustments can relieve pressure on the nerve roots that send signals to your arm and hand. If a bulging disc causes the problem, a technique called spinal decompression therapy can draw the disc away from the pinched nerve root through a safe, gentle vacuum pressure.
If a cervical spinal problem gives you grief for any reason, seek out the specialists at Corner Chiropractic Center. We can examine your cervical vertebral alignment, provide state-of-the-art adjustments and other treatment techniques, and help you keep this critical part of your body in optimal condition. Contact our office today.

How Can Chiropractic Care Boost Your Sleep?

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 17:55:26 GMT

Quality sleep is critical for a better quality of life. When you sleep well, you have more energy and less stress, making you more productive and easier to get along with.

However, many people struggle to get a decent night’s sleep. Sleep quality is not equivalent to the amount of time you spend in bed but to the time you spend in deep sleep. Read on to understand more about quality sleep and chiropractic care.

What Causes Poor Sleep Quality?

Numerous issues may compromise the quality of your sleep. For instance, anxiety and stress are significant causes of poor sleep. In addition, when you can't shut off your mind at night, you may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep through the night. Some common causes of poor sleep patterns include the following.

Insomnia

Insomnia is one disorder that harms the quality of your sleep. Insomnia may make it hard for you to fall asleep or stay asleep. With insomnia, you often wake up feeling unrefreshed, which can lead to daytime fatigue and sleepiness.

Insomnia may also make you irritable and decrease your ability to concentrate during the day. It can also lead to anxiety about going to bed and a lack of energy during the day.

Anxiety

Anxiety is what you feel when you are stressed out or worried about something. However, some people experience anxiety so severe that it interferes with their daily lives.

Chronic Pain

Back pain and arthritis are chronic pain that can make it difficult to sleep. Pain steals your peace and can make it hard to relax enough to fall asleep.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder accompanied by breathing pauses that may last a few seconds to minutes. These breathing pauses can often happen throughout the night and make it hard to get quality sleep.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help?

Chiropractic care is a drug-free, non-surgical health care approach focusing on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. The procedures can boost your sleep quality as follows.

Reduce Pain

One of the primary benefits of chiropractic care is pain relief. When you experience less pain, falling asleep and staying asleep through the night is more manageable. The reason is that you're not tossing and turning to find a comfortable position.

Chiropractic care can also help reduce chronic pain by correcting alignment issues and improving the range of motion. In addition, this procedure can decrease the need for pain medication.

Improve the Nervous System

Chiropractic care can help improve the nervous system, so the body can function at its best. An improved nervous system leads to better sleep because the body can relax and heal properly during sleep.

Eliminate Misalignment in the Spine

One of the primary causes of chronic pain is a misalignment in the spine. When the spine is out of alignment, it puts pressure on the nerves. The pressure can cause pain, inflammation, and other problems.

Chiropractic care can correct these misalignments, which take the pressure off the nerves and allow the body to heal. This benefit can lead to improved sleep because the body can relax properly.

Chiropractic care is not just a way to relieve pain but also to improve the quality of your sleep and overall life quality. So, if you have been having trouble falling asleep or often wake up feeling tired, contact us at Corner Chiropractic Center for a consultation. We will develop a personalized treatment plan depending on your cause of sleep disruption.

Our team looks forward to helping you return to getting good rest and waking up feeling refreshed and well-rested in the morning.

How Regular Chiropractic Care Can Benefit Your Cardiac Health

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 21:32:49 GMT

Chiropractic adjustments realign your vertebrae through quick thrusts to the spine. Besides exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, your heart health can benefit from chiropractic care.

A portion of the spinal cord called the thoracic region innervates the heart. Therefore, even subtle changes in spinal alignment can cause serious heart problems.

The following are a few heart-health benefits of chiropractic treatment.

Reduces Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common chronic illness. Long-term high blood pressure can strain your heart's arteries, veins, and chambers. As a result of the strain on your heart, you are at an increased risk of conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, or kidney disease.

Sometimes a misaligned Atlas vertebra in the neck, also called the first vertebra, can be the cause of high blood pressure. The Atlas vertebra connects the head to the spine at the top of the neck.

A misaligned Atlas disrupts blood flow to the brain and causes an increase in sympathetic nervous system activation, which causes blood pressure to rise. The Atlas vertebra can move out of alignment due to car accidents, poor posture, or injuries.

Research shows that chiropractic adjustment on the Atlas can considerably lower blood pressure. The adjustments result in a drop in blood pressure equal to taking two blood pressure medications at the same time.

Reduces Inflammation

Your body uses inflammation to protect itself from infection when you're injured or ill. Inflammation can, unfortunately, become a chronic problem in some cases when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues.

Chronic inflammation can be the result of misaligned vertebrae in the spine. Misaligned vertebrae that press on nerves prevent your brain from sending crucial signals to your body. Disrupted nerve function can negatively affect how your immune system works and lead to inflammation.

Chronic inflammation in the heart puts you at risk for specific cardiovascular emergencies, such as stroke and heart attacks.

The use of anti-inflammatory medications and steroids can help decrease inflammation. The drugs can, however, increase your risk of serious health problems if you take them for a long time.

Chiropractic treatment is a safe, natural way to treat inflammation in key areas throughout the body without side effects. Keeping inflammation low throughout the heart can help prevent chronic cardiovascular disease.

Better Lung Function

Keeping your body healthy requires the cooperation of your heart and lungs. Oxygen will not be available to the heart’s muscle cells if the lungs do not function properly. A chiropractic adjustment can help improve lung function.

A series of chiropractic treatments can strengthen the central and spinal nervous systems. The treatments can lead to a reduction or prevention of lung conditions. Furthermore, chiropractic adjustments improve your posture, which allows your chest to expand and provides your lungs with better capacity and efficiency.

Improve the Variability of the Heart Rate

Maintaining a normal heart rate is crucial to avoid degenerative diseases that weaken the heart over time. To better control your heart rate, you must increase the interval between heartbeats, known as heart rate variability (HRV).

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in your thoracic and upper cervical spine are responsible for controlling your heart rate variability. A person's HRV varies according to their emotions and activity level.

High HRV indicates a heart that can easily adapt to various situations and environments. Low HRV increases your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses.

A chiropractic adjustment improves heart rate variability and increases the heart's ability to respond to stress by influencing the autonomic nervous system.

The above benefits are a few ways chiropractic care can help protect your heart. Chiropractic care should therefore be a regular part of everyone's health regimen.

You can trust Corner Chiropractic Center with your chiropractic adjustment. Feel free to contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Pediatric Chiropractic Questions and Answers

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:41:24 GMT

Children resemble adults in more ways than you might think, including their vulnerability to musculoskeletal and nerve problems. Since kids' bodies undergo enormous changes and upheavals even without these additional challenges, it only makes sense that children and adults alike might benefit from chiropractic care.

If you've never even thought about bringing your child to a chiropractor, you'll want to know about the many important health and wellness benefits this kind of care can offer, from optimizing posture during critical growth years to addressing aches and pains. Take a look at the following pediatric chiropractic questions and answers.

How Early Can Children Receive Chiropractic Care?

If you've always thought that only older children can receive chiropractic treatment, think again. Children can safely receive chiropractic adjustments almost as soon as they enter the world. Pediatric chiropractors typically see patients as young as a few weeks of age. These chiropractors know how to administer uniquely gentle adjustments.

Newborns often benefit from chiropractic care due to the trauma their fragile bodies experience during delivery. The pressures on the musculoskeletal system can easily shift joints out of alignment, placing the infant at a disadvantage right from the beginning. Timely adjustments can restore normal alignment.

Why Do Young Children Benefit From Chiropractic Care?

As babies start to explore their world, first through crawling and later through walking, they naturally suffer their share of bumps, falls, and spills. Even if these incidents don't produce significant injuries, over time, they can lead to spinal alignment problems. These problems may in turn affect nerve function.

Periodic chiropractic wellness exams can catch small alignment issues in your baby's spine before they can affect sensory and motor function. By keeping the spine and nervous system in good working order, you can optimize your baby's physical development, balance, and coordination during this crucial growth stage.

What Childhood Ailments Can Chiropractic Care Treat?

Anyone who has spent any time around children knows that they can struggle with a variety of pediatric ailments. Examples of such challenges include torticollis (a twisting of the neck so that the head points to one side), colic, insomnia, asthma, and recurring ear infections.

Pediatric chiropractic treatment can ease many of these childhood health issues. For instance, adjustments that improve nerve signaling to the digestive system can relieve colic while also boosting immune function (thus reducing ear infections). Ask your chiropractor whether your child's ailments might respond to adjustments.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help School-Aged Children?

All the external challenges that affect a small child's musculoskeletal health grow even more challenging during the school years. Children who roughhouse on the playground, participate in high-impact sports, or lug heavy backpacks around can easily develop muscular strain, tendinitis, and spinal alignment errors.

If your child experiences school-related aches and pains, your chiropractor can identify the cause and make any necessary adjustments to promote healing and relieve pain. Your chiropractor can also educate your child on healthy practices such as how to load and wear a backpack safely.

Consider scheduling a back-to-school chiropractic wellness exam for your child every year. These exams can reveal early signs of issues such as scoliosis that respond best to early treatment. They also give the chiropractor a chance to correct any minor imbalances that might make your child more vulnerable to sports injuries.

If you want your little one to enjoy a happier, healthier, and more comfortable life through the benefits of chiropractic care, Corner Chiropractic Center can make it happen. We can help individuals of all ages maintain their posture, flexibility, and musculoskeletal alignment. Contact us today to learn more or schedule a pediatric chiropractic exam.

3 Main Stages of Chiropractic Care

Mon, 23 May 2022 17:11:32 GMT

The process of correcting issues without medication or surgery can be time-consuming. Although your doctor may treat some conditions in a few appointments, others may require several visits. During these visits, certain things should happen in a particular order for your body to heal itself properly.

Following the correct procedure also helps prevent these issues from recurring, especially if they have been affecting you for a long time. For this reason, chiropractic therapy is divided into three stages to offer a good roadmap to your recovery and improve the quality of your life. Here are the three main stages of chiropractic care.

1. Relief

Often, patients seek chiropractic care due to musculoskeletal pain. When you first visit your chiropractor, they will try to reduce your pain, nerve irritation, and tissue inflammation to help you feel better in the shortest time possible.

Your chiropractor will retrain your muscles, enhance your biomechanics and correct your spine alignment. Additionally, a chiropractor will also try to identify the major causes of your soreness or pain and tailor a treatment plan that suits your needs.

During this stage, some patients show a lot of improvement and may continue with their daily routine. Although you need to stay active, you should take it slow. Engaging in vigorous exercises may lead to additional injuries or tissue damage, causing further complications.

The number of times you need to visit your doctor during this stage varies depending on your condition. Therefore, predicting how long it will take can be difficult — some people take a week while others may take up to a month.

2. Correction

Although you may start feeling better after undergoing the relief care stage, you need to continue seeing your doctor. This phase aims to treat underlying injuries, strengthen your muscles, and rehabilitate the affected tissues to improve neuromusculoskeletal performance.

This stage is quite easy compared to the relief stage since doctor visits reduce. For instance, if you suffer from herniated discs, you may need to visit your doctor once or twice a week for four to six weeks. However, you need to be careful and consistent since the success of this stage majorly depends on your efforts.

The main activity during the correction stage is performing various rehabilitation exercises. For example, your doctor may recommend Spanish squats if you suffer from anterior knee pain. To make this stage more effective, you'll need to make dietary changes and practice various self-care procedures.

The correction care stage is vital since it helps prevent these issues from recurring, and it may take a lot of time. Remember, some of these issues have developed over time, and you need to treat them slowly until you heal completely.

3. Wellness

Optimal health and wellness are the main goals of chiropractic care. During this phase, you have already learned how to maintain a good posture and proper spinal alignment. Although you may not be experiencing any pain or strange symptoms, you still need to visit your chiropractor for regular tune-ups.

Regular checkups help keep your spine and neural systems healthy, enabling them to perform optimally and retain your body's self-healing capabilities. Checkups also help your doctor catch minor issues that may begin to develop after the treatment and handle them before they advance.

In this phase, your doctor will customize a wellness care program that suits your needs. Your doctor will also advise you on incorporating healthy eating and exercise activities into your daily life. This way, you'll gain energy, endurance, and the capacity to enjoy your life to the fullest.

Experiencing pain or inflammation in your body can be uncomfortable. To solve these issues, visit a chiropractic doctor. If you are looking for reliable chiropractic services, contact Corner Chiropractic Center.

4 Ways Diet and Nutrition Enhance Chiropractic Care

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 16:32:49 GMT

The human body relies on a complex assembly of many different systems, all of which must work together in harmony if you want to enjoy good health. For this reason, many chiropractors and other health practitioners address their patients' issues from a holistic perspective, an approach sometimes called functional medicine.

When you seek out chiropractic treatment for a particular health challenge, don't feel too surprised if your chiropractor asks you about your diet, evaluates your health from a nutritional point of view, and recommends nutritional therapy alongside joint adjustments. Take a look at four ways diet and nutrition can enhance chiropractic care.

1. Support for Healthy Bones

Chiropractors often work with people who suffer from bone health issues that affect their posture and comfort. In one common condition called osteoporosis, the bone fails to rebuild itself properly, leading to reduced bone density and vertebral fractures that compress the spine.

If you struggle with poor bone health, your chiropractor may recommend that you increase your intake of bone-building proteins, plus minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and especially calcium. You may also need to consume more fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, with special emphasis on vitamins A, C, and K.

Sometimes you can improve your bone health by eliminating certain menu items from your diet. For instance, if you consume lots of salt, alcohol, or caffeine your chiropractor may advise you to cut back on these indulgences, all of which can impair your bones' ability to retain calcium.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Musculoskeletal pain and inflammation often go hand in hand. Both acute and chronic injuries can trigger inflammation and swelling, while autoimmune conditions can lead to rheumatoid arthritis and other joint problems. One particularly painful example, gout, often develops when people eat too many inflammatory foods.

Chiropractic treatment can reduce inflammation by bringing joints back into their correct alignment and improving nerve function for more normal immune responses. To aid this process, however, your chiropractor may give you a plan for replacing specific inflammatory foods with natural inflammation fighters.

3. Less Stress on Weight-Bearing Joints

An unhealthy dietary balance featuring too many daily calories or too many fatty foods can lead to obesity. Obesity can contribute to many kinds of chronic health problems, including damage to your weight-bearing joints. The bones and cartilage may experience premature wear and tear, while the soft tissues may suffer from chronic strain.

If you undergo chiropractic treatment for chronic aches and pains, your chiropractor may recommend some sensible nutritional and dietary changes to help you shed any excess pounds safely and easily. The reduction in physical stress may ease or even prevent pain and stiffness in your lower back, hips, knees, and ankles.

Even as weight loss helps you achieve better chiropractic results, chiropractic care may help you lose the extra weight more efficiently. For instance, chiropractic adjustments that reduce musculoskeletal pain may encourage you to exercise more vigorously, burning calories that would otherwise add to your waistline.

4. More Efficient Recovery From Injuries

Many people visit chiropractors for help with acute or chronic injuries that involve the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. A traumatic injury can leave you with joint alignment problems as well as other damage. Chronic repetitive motion injuries can produce strained muscles and tendons or sprained ligaments.

As your chiropractor addresses the immediate alignment issues that cause your symptoms, you may also receive advice on how to eat your way to a more efficient recovery. For instance, certain cheeses, meats, fish, nuts, and seeds contain proteins called leucines which can accelerate muscle healing.

If you want to restore or maintain your whole body's health and wellness, schedule a consultation at Corner Chiropractic Center. Our team will evaluate your joint alignment, diet, nutrition, and other key factors, creating a personalized chiropractic and nutritional plan to suit your individual needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Decompression Therapy

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 18:20:50 GMT

Your spinal column does more than hold your body upright and allow your trunk to flex - it also contains that all-important bundle of nerve tissue known as the spinal cord. When the spinal cord or any of its major branches experiences compression, the results can include both serious discomfort and loss of physical function.

Before you turn to major surgery to relieve a case of spinal nerve compression, you should know that nonsurgical techniques from a skilled chiropractor might resolve your pain and other issues easily and noninvasively through spinal decompression therapy. Check out the following frequently asked questions about this approach.

How Does Spinal Nerve Compression Affect the Body?

The spinal cord runs through the interior space of the spinal column, with other structures such as bones, joints, and vertebral discs nestled close by. This proximity leaves little room for alignment shifts or other changes in the spinal structure. Even a small alteration can bring these structures into contact with the sensitive nerves.

In one common example, bulging or herniated discs expand outward from the spinal column and press against the major nerve roots that lead to the limbs. This nerve compression can cause pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle problems in either an arm (in the case of cervical radiculopathy) or a leg (as in sciatica).

A variety of other spinal problems can also pinch your spinal nerve tissue. Examples include spinal stenosis (in which the space around the spinal cord narrows), spondylolisthesis, ankylosing spondylitis, and complications from a failed back surgery.

How Do Chiropractors Relieve Compression in the Spinal Column?

Chiropractors relieve spinal nerve compression by stretching or manipulating the spine slightly. In one method known as flexion-distraction therapy, you lie on a segmented table. As the chiropractor drops one or more table segments, gravity brings misaligned structures such as herniated discs back into their proper positions.

Another form of spinal decompression therapy relies on a state-of-the-art motorized table, typically controlled by a computer to ensure precise degrees of flexion-distraction force. As you lie harnessed to the table, the table applies just enough force to create negative pressure between vertebrae, pulling discs away from nerves.

Not all kinds of spinal problems lend themselves to both kinds of treatment. For instance, if you suffer from spondylolisthesis or spinal stenosis, your chiropractor might recommend flexion-distraction therapy but not computerized spinal decompression. More serious problems might end up requiring surgery.

Why Choose Spinal Decompression Therapy Over Surgical Spinal Decompression?

Surgical spinal decompression typically involves the removal of damaged disks (or the pieces of those disks that press against nerves) along with the installation of synthetic spacers and/or metal hardware to stabilize the spine. Major spinal surgery can permanently reduce spinal mobility and require months of recovery time.

Doctors commonly advise their patients to pursue conservative care options before resorting to major surgery. Spinal decompression therapy offers a non-surgical alternative that accomplishes the same basic purpose for cases that don't actually call for structural repairs to the spine, with no need for recuperation afterward.

What Can You Expect From Spinal Decompression Therapy Sessions?

You'll most likely need a series of spinal decompression therapy sessions to enjoy complete, lasting results. However, whether your chiropractor administers computer-controlled spinal decompression or flexiondistraction therapy, you can rest assured that the sessions will prove both easy and comfortable.

You can expect a spinal decompression therapy session to last up to 45 minutes , with your chiropractor scheduling multiple sessions over a period of five to seven weeks. During this period, you may also receive other non-surgical supportive treatments such as ultrasound, electric stimulation, ice therapy, or heat therapy.

If vertebral compression issues have literally placed your nerves in a pinch, contact Corner Chiropractic Center today. We can analyze your particular condition and let you know whether you can benefit from a course of non-surgical spinal decompression therapy.

Rib Pain And Its Treatment: FAQ

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 20:00:23 GMT

Your rib cage represents a more complex structure than you might suppose. The actual bones that make up the ribs themselves attach both to the sternum (the bone at the front of the chest) and to the spine's thoracic vertebrae. Joints, cartilage, and other tissues allow the ribs to move, but they can also fall prey to a few painful problems.

If you suffer from rib pain, you might struggle to perform everyday chores, find a comfortable sleeping position, or enjoy your favorite recreational activities. Fortunately, natural treatment methods such as chiropractic care can often relieve this pain. Check out the answers to a few of these frequently asked rib pain questions.

What Kinds of Rib Problems Can Cause Pain?

Rib pain can occur due to many kinds of health conditions, from heart attacks and lung inflammation to certain forms of cancer. Acute direct damage to the ribs, such as a fracture, can obviously cause sharp, sudden pain. However, many more kinds of rib pain stem from joint, nerve, or soft tissue troubles.

The ribs attach to the thoracic spine via two kinds of joints. Costocorporeal joints attach the rib to two neighboring vertebrae, while costotransverse joints attach them to a bony projection called the transverse process. A misalignment or soft tissue strain in these joints can result in rib pain.

A high-impact car collision or sports injury can knock a rib out of alignment, causing acute pain. Even forceful coughing, sneezing, or vomiting can cause rib misalignment. Less dramatic causes can include poor posture, weak muscles, pregnancy-related physical changes, and repetitive motion strain from sports or work activities.

When Does Rib Pain Issue from Another Part of the Body?

Rib pain doesn't always indicate strain or damage to the ribs themselves. If structures in and around the rib joints manage to pinch or trap nearby spinal nerves, you may experience pain anywhere along the affected rib, in your upper back, or in your upper chest. Doctors call this kind of referred pain intercostal neuralgia.

What Symptoms May Indicate a Rib Misalignment?

If your primary care provider can't find any disease-based causes of rib pain, you may need a chiropractic evaluation to check for rib misalignment issues. Classic symptoms or a rib misalignment include pain when walking, sneezing, coughing, or inhaling deeply. Numbness, tenderness, or swelling can also indicate a misalignment.

How Can Chiropractic Adjustment Ease Rib Pain?

Chiropractic adjustment can correct the alignment errors that often lead to chronic rib pain. First, your chiropractor will probably need to apply manual techniques such as stretching or getting a massage. These techniques can help tense, tight muscles in the area to relax so that they won't resist the adjustment.

Next, your chiropractor will apply a small amount of controlled force to the affected rib joint or joints. This force brings the errant components back into their proper alignment, relieving soft tissue strain and releasing trapped nerve tissue. The strained or pinched tissues can then heal normally.

What Other Rib Pain Management Measures Can Help?

Even after your chiropractic treatment sessions ease much of your rib pain, your chiropractor may recommend that you continue to schedule periodic spinal evaluations and adjustments. These incremental fixes can help you keep your rib cage and spine in alignment for long-term, drug-free pain relief.

To help you maintain a straight, healthy posture, you may need to build strength in the muscles that support your spine and trunk. Your chiropractor can recommend exercises for this purpose. Eliminate postural bad habits like slumping forward with rounded shoulders, which can lead to rib pain and other chronic strain problems.

Don't let treatable rib pain ruin your quality of life. Schedule an appointment at Corner Chiropractic Center to get more answers about what causes your pain and how to get that pain under control.

How and Why to Hydrate for Better Joint Health

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 06:26:23 GMT

Everyone knows about the importance of hydration for overall health, but they may not think about water consumption after chiropractic care. Joint lubrication, inflammation control, and toxin removal help to make alignments more effective and this relies on proper hydration. The right amount of fluid is a simple way to feel better and boost chiropractic treatments.

Know the Dangers

Connective tissue like the tendons and ligaments protect the nerves, muscles, and bones from injury. Dehydrated connective tissues are weak and cannot perform the tasks needed and injuries can occur easily at this point. The injury leads to inflammation, which is just fluid that accumulates around the injured body part to protect it and heal the damage.

The body can become even more dehydrated and at risk when it pulls fluid from other areas to the injured spot, which can happen when a series of different injuries occur in a short span of time. Inflammation is also often why some joints may begin to hurt in other parts of the body when one joint injury takes place.

The lubricant in the joints that keeps them comfortable is mostly water. The water flushes out toxins as a fresh supply of fluid enters the joint. Dehydration forces the body to divert water to the brain and other organs. The joints lose fluid because they are less important for immediate survival, and this means toxins can accumulate and the joints have less cushion.

Understand the Causes

Most people know that their body uses a certain amount of fluid (about 10 cups ) each day just to function. Activity, hot weather, and alcoholic beverages and caffeine can increase fluid loss. Other risk factors, like stress and anxiety, are less known. Stress causes the body to produce more hormones and this uses fluid. It is why people often suffer from dry mouth after a scare.

Medication can lead to dehydration. Read product labels carefully and follow the instructions when it says to drink water with the medication. Low carb diets like ketogenic diets also lead to fluid loss. The diets act as a diuretic as they help people to burn off calories.

Watch for Signs

The start of dehydration is often the feeling of thirst. Fewer trips to the bathroom or less urine output than usual signal the body does not have enough fluid. Urine that is darker than a pale yellow is a clear warning to increase water consumption.

More severe signs include a sensation of dizziness, fatigue, and headaches. Dehydration can make people feel confused, anxious, or lightheaded. As the dehydration worsens the individual can feel nauseated, have body pain, or experience muscle cramps. Continued dehydration at this point can lead to kidney damage, shock, and seizures and can become life-threatening.

Learn to Hydrate

Water is always best and there are effortless ways to increase consumption. Drink a glass of water each morning before any tea or coffee. Drink water with meals or have a glass before each meal. Make fruit-infused water and keep a bottle at hand all day for sipping.

People that dislike water can add more fruit to their diet. Watermelon, strawberries, and peaches have a lot of water. Excellent vegetable choices include lettuce and cucumber. Eat low-sodium soups, drink skim milk, or make popsicles at home from water and blended fruit.

You do not need to drink an excessive amount of water after a chiropractic appointment. The best solution is to learn how to stay hydrated and to do so all the time. Consider an injury or joint pain as a sign to pay more attention to how much you consume. At Corner Chiropractic Center , we can help you to learn more about how to care for your body. Contact us today.

3 Painful Problems Addressed by Chiropractic Care

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 06:51:38 GMT

Chronic pain in one form or another affects an estimated one in five Americans, with about eight percent of those individuals suffering from pain severe and pervasive enough to limit their quality of life. Unfortunately, painkilling medications may offer only temporary relief while posing potential threats such as addiction and drug interactions.

If a musculoskeletal or neurological issue has left you with constant or recurring pain, you should know about safe, non-pharmaceutical remedies that address the underlying cause of the pain, including chiropractic care. Take a look at three common (and painful) problems that chiropractic treatment may help.

1. Tension Headaches

Tension headaches can vary from mild annoyances to productivity-killing events that may cause you to call in sick from work or skip important household tasks. This common type of headache causes a persistent ache behind the eyes or on either side (and occasionally both sides) of the head.

You might not realize that the pain in your head actually begins in your neck. When neck muscles near the base of the skull tense up, they pull on a tissue called the dura mater that surrounds the brain. This highly sensitive tissue then reacts by sending pain signals into your head. A neck misalignment can promote this muscle tension.

Chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine can help you rid yourself of chronic tension headaches. By restoring the weight balanced between your head and your neck, your chiropractor can take abnormal stress off of your neck muscles, which allows them to stay relaxed and eliminates those painful tugs on the dura mater.

2. Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome

Inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) can make everyday life deeply unpleasant. This dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract can leave you with chronic constipation, diarrhea, or alternating bouts of both. You may also suffer from constant stomachaches, gas, and bloating that interferes with your ability to enjoy your daily routine.

You might not associate chiropractic treatment with bowel problems. However, chiropractic adjustment can indeed help you gain better control over your IBS, especially when medications fall short of providing consistent relief. Better yet, chiropractic care doesn't pose risks of side effects or drug interactions.

Chiropractic treatment attempts to address the root of your IBS issues by improving the communications between your brain and your digestive system. By correcting spinal alignment errors that compress the nerves governing your bowels, your chiropractor can help this system work more normally.

3. Sciatica

Sciatica can make standing up, sitting down, turning in your chair, or even coughing a painful trial. In this chronic pain syndrome, the spinal nerve roots that feed signals to the leg's sciatic nerve become pinched or compressed. This compression can plague your leg with numbness, tingling, weakness, and even excruciating pain.

The nerve compression that causes sciatica may stem from a variety of spinal issues, from stenosis to sacroiliac joint dysfunction. In one common scenario, a bulging or herniated disc places pressure on the nerve roots where they attach to the spinal cord. Overburdened lower back muscles that go into spasm can also cause sciatica.

One chiropractic technique that works particularly well against sciatica goes by the name of non-surgical spinal decompression. This advanced form of spinal traction therapy gently moves the vertebrae apart just enough to draw a bulging or herniated disc away from the spinal nerve roots, releasing the pressure.

The skilled team at Corner Chiropractic Center can discover the root of your chronic pain, administer the right kinds of chiropractic adjustment to fix it and provide you with smart self-care strategies such as an exercise and nutrition plan. Contact our office today to tell us about your needs and request an appointment.

Types of Headaches and How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:13:46 GMT

One in every six Americans , or about 45 million people, complain of headaches every year. Symptoms vary between individuals, but patients often report a debilitating and throbbing pain accompanied by nausea. While you can take a pill, lie down, and hope the pain goes away, seek a long-term solution to headaches. Explore what the common causes of headaches are and how chiropractic care can help below.

What Are Different Types of Headaches?

Most headaches, called primary headaches, do not signal an underlying disease. They occur when structures like the scalp, tissues, and sinuses experience irritation, tension, inflammation, or compression. Common triggers include the following:

Stress
Fatigue
Lack of sleep
Certain foods
Poor posture
Dehydration
Eyesight problems

Many kinds of primary headaches exist.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are common, where patients feel a tight band around the head. Also, you may feel a constant, mild ache on each side of your head. Tension headaches usually last for a few hours, although they can take several days to subside. Since these headaches result from muscle tightness in the head and neck, they respond well to chiropractic adjustments.

Migraines

Migraines often manifest as a one-sided, throbbing pain. In addition to pain, patients complain of nausea, loss of appetite, belly pain, and sensitivity to light or smells. Migraines typically last for hours to days and can be so debilitating that they interfere with daily activities. The frequency of migraine attacks varies between individuals and may happen weekly or once a year.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are severe and result in a piercing or throbbing pain around or behind one eye. The affected eye reddens or tears, and the eyelid droops. Moreover, you may experience facial sweating and a runny nose. The attacks may occur for 4 to 12 weeks and last for 15 minutes to 3 hours. Then, the headaches may disappear for months or years, and you will have no symptoms in this remission period.

Secondary headaches are symptoms of underlying illnesses that irritate the head's pain-sensitive nerves. Such conditions include the following:

Stroke
Pregnancy
Tumor
Infection
Head injury
Hypothyroidism
Sinus congestion

Get medical care if a headache wakes you up from sleep or worsens when you shift positions. Additionally, watch out for headaches that cause slurred speech, fever, mental confusion, or inability to move a limb.

How Can a Chiropractor Help?

Typically, people take over-the-counter drugs for headaches and move on with their day. However, this short-term approach only treats the symptoms rather than the cause.

Most common types of headaches arise from muscle tightness in the shoulders and neck. Moreover, overworked shoulder and back muscles due to bad posture, stress, or injury can cause headaches. Today, many Americans lead a sedentary lifestyle and spend many hours sitting in front of a computer. As a result, they can experience muscle tension in the neck and upper back and joint irritation.

A chiropractor performs cervical manipulations to relieve muscle tension in the neck, back, and shoulders. Misalignments in the spine irritate the nerves that control blood flow to the head. Thus, a chiropractor addresses any irregularities in the spine to enhance the function of the nervous system. As a result, you enjoy better spine health and reduced tension headaches and migraines. What's more, you can expect improved physical function.

Headaches have many triggers, including alcohol, dehydration, stress, fatigue, and poor posture. If you want a drug-free intervention for your migraines and headaches, chiropractic care may be a good solution. Contact our consultants at Corner Chiropractic Center to experience the benefits of expert chiropractic treatment. We look forward to helping you solve your headache pain.

3 Things You Should Know About Bulging Disks

Wed, 26 May 2021 19:40:15 GMT

Some of the most common spinal conditions can also prove among the most debilitating. One such condition involves the flattening and bulging of the vertebral disks that normally act as shock absorbers for the spine. A bulging disk can cause severe pain and other disabling symptoms, especially if the disk in question herniates.

Fortunately, you can provide your ailing spinal column with the right kind of conservative care to reduce your symptoms and promote better overall function once you understand something about bulging disks and their treatment. Consider the following four key points.

1. Bulging Disk Causes

In most cases, vertebral disks bulge as a natural consequence of the aging process. Under ideal conditions, these disks maintain a constant height thanks to a plentiful supply of fluid within their tough casings of cartilage. Unfortunately, the body tends to lose water content with age, affecting everything from skin elasticity to disc height.

As your vertebral discs lose some of their inner support, they start to collapse or flatten, spreading outward in the process until they protrude from the spinal column. If the protrusion involves at least onequarter of the disks' circumference, you have a bulging disk. (A protrusion involving less of the disk qualifies as a herniated disk.)

2. Bulging Disk Symptoms

Many people have bulging disks without even realizing it because their condition causes no obvious symptoms. However, if the protruding part of your bulging disk puts pressure on the spinal cord or major spinal nerve roots, it can interfere with the normal function of that nerve tissue, creating a variety of unpleasant problems.

Bulging disk symptoms depend on the condition's severity. If the outer casing of a bulging disk tears open, the inflammatory substances inside the disc can prove especially irritating to the surrounding tissues. You may experience tingling, numbness, pain, or weakness in any limb served by the affected nerves.

Bulging disks can create other spinal problems as well. For example, the loss of disk height may strain the facet joints connecting adjacent vertebrae. These changes in your spinal alignment can inflame the facet joints and cause them to develop osteoarthritis, which produces its own share of spinal pain and stiffness.

3. Bulging Disk Diagnosis and Treatment

An experienced chiropractor can diagnose a bulging disk through a combination of techniques. Your age, medical history, and current symptoms may all point to the likelihood of a bulging or herniated disk. Your chiropractor will also use X-rays or other imaging methods to look for flattened, compressed, or misaligned disks.

If you have a bulging disk, your chiropractor may prescribe several non-invasive treatment strategies to ease your symptoms without surgery. Even if your condition has grown serious enough to require eventual surgery, conservative treatment as a first response may permit you to delay such surgery.

Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy can prove quite successful as a bulging or herniated disk treatment. In this technique, a special kind of traction table pulls gently at the spine. As the vertebrae pull away from each other, a vacuum forms between them. This vacuum helps to shift the disks away from nerves.

Non-surgical spinal decompression can also help take pressure off of inflamed facet joints. The same vacuum pressure that realigns the disks also infuses them with much-needed water. This infusion can help bulging disks regain some of their former height, thus lending more support to the facet joints.

Other conservative treatment measures may also help you minimize the effects of a bulging disk. Your chiropractor may recommend exercises to improve spinal strength and flexibility, weight loss to remove unnecessary pressure on the disks, or chiropractic adjustments to soothe arthritic facet joints.

Corner Chiropractic Center can help you cope with one or more bulging disks and regain your quality of life. Contact our office to learn more and set up an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions About TMJ

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 19:34:04 GMT

If you have trouble moving your jaw without pain, stiffness, and other uncomfortable results, you may suffer from temporomandibular mandibular joint disorder. This disorder, commonly referred to as TMD or TMJ (after the jaw joint it involves), can stem from numerous causes and create equally numerous symptoms.

Fortunately, you can obtain relief from this painful problem through a combination of medical treatment (including chiropractic care) and lifestyle modifications. The following questions and answers will help you understand TMJ causes, symptoms, treatment, and preventative care.

Why Do People Suffer From TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint connects each end of your jawbone to your skull. A complex assembly of muscles and connective tissues allows the jaw to move in a variety of directions. A disc of cartilage cushions the bone ends against painful friction. Damage to these structures from an acute impact injury can leave you with TMJ.

TMJ also occurs due to chronic conditions. Arthritis in the joint itself can make jaw motion both difficult and painful. A longtime error in the way your teeth or jaws come together can place the joints under chronic strain. A misalignment between your skull and your cervical vertebrae can aggravate this strain.

Nerve compression in the cervical spine offers yet another possible source of TMJ symptoms. If you have a bulging or herniated disc in this part of your spinal column, the pinched nerve tissue may refer pain up to your jaw.

What Symptoms Indicate a TMJ Problem?

Classic TMJ symptoms include pain and stiffness when you open and close your jaw. The pain may radiate to your face, ear, neck, or shoulders while also contributing to tension headaches. You may experience clicking noises or popping sensations when you move your jaw. Your jaw may even lock on you unexpectedly.

When Does TMJ Require More than Just Dental Treatment?

Dentists can ease TMJ symptoms related to bite alignment errors. Dental treatments for TMJ commonly include procedures to help the teeth come together as they should and night guards to reduce muscular tension in the jaw during sleep. However, these treatments may not help if your condition stems from a joint problem.

You may need chiropractic treatment instead of (or in addition to) dental care to get your TMJ firmly under control. If so, your chiropractor will work closely with your dentist to create a personalized holistic treatment plan.

How Can Chiropractic Adjustments Ease TMJ Symptoms?

If you seek chiropractic evaluation for your TMJ symptoms, your chiropractor may perform detailed evaluations of both your jaw alignment and your spinal alignment, since a problem in either area could contribute to your discomfort. Your medical history, specific symptoms, any recent injury experience may confirm the diagnosis.

The kind of chiropractic adjustment you receive will depend on the origin of the problem. For instance, if you have arthritis or an alignment problem in your temporomandibular joint, the chiropractor may adjust that joint directly. If you have a cervical spinal misalignment, your neck may receive the adjustments.

Disc problems in the cervical spine may respond to a non-surgical technique called decompression therapy. The controlled application of distraction (pulling-apart) force can take the pressure off of the nerve tissue and help the disc in question shift into a more normal position in the spinal column.

How Can You Minimize Your Risks for Future TMJ Issues?

TMJ related to an acute injury or temporary jaw misalignment may go away for good once you've received the proper treatment. If you struggle with recurring TMJ symptoms related to some chronic underlying musculoskeletal problem, your chiropractor can help you keep those annoying symptoms under better control.

Periodic chiropractic wellness checks can reveal any new spinal alignment errors that require correction before they can cause TMJ recurrences. Your chiropractor can recommend exercises to improve your cervical spinal posture and/or relax your jaw muscles. You may also benefit from techniques to manage stress.

If your dentist can't resolve your TMJ trouble, pay a visit to Corner Chiropractic Center for a musculoskeletal evaluation and any joint adjustments you may need. Contact our office today for an appointment.

SI Joint Dysfunction | Corner Chiropractic Center

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 15:01:46 GMT

Back pain represents the third most common reason people seek medical treatment, with one-half of working Americans developing this problem in any given year. An estimated 15 to 30 percent of lower back pain cases stem from a musculoskeletal problem known as SI (sacroiliac) joint dysfunction.

Because so many people struggle with SI joint dysfunction, you may benefit from understanding why this condition occurs, what it feels like, and what you can do to ease your symptoms. Check out the answers to these frequently asked questions about SI joint dysfunction and its treatment.

What Does the SI Joint Do?

Your spinal column terminates in two bones: the sacroiliac bone and the tailbone. The sacroiliac bone connects to the surrounding pelvic bones via the SI joint. This joint doesn't normally move more than a couple of millimeters, but this small degree of motion absorbs countless bumps and shocks between the upper and lower body.

Why Does SI Joint Dysfunction Develop?

Any physical change that affects the SI joint's range of motion can produce SI joint dysfunction, including infections or fractures in the joint. These changes may rob the joint of its already-limited motion (a problem called hypomobility), or it may make the joint too loose to provide stable support (hypermobility).

An acute sports, work, or auto accident injury can shift the SI joint out of position or otherwise damage it. Degenerative conditions such as arthritis can restrict SI joint motion. Two types of arthritis commonly involved in chronic SI joint dysfunction include ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis.

Pregnant women often develop too much range of motion in the SI joint. This change occurs when hormonal and postural changes lend the pelvis extra flexibility in preparation for childbirth. The resulting instability in the joint can cause premature degeneration, leading to chronic dysfunction.

What Symptoms Can SI Joint Dysfunction Cause?

Like sciatica, SI joint dysfunction and irritation (sometimes referred to as sacroiliitis) causes sharp pain in the lower back, buttocks, groin, legs, and even the feet. Bending, sitting, shifting your weight to one foot, and standing for extended periods can trigger this pain.

SI joint dysfunction symptoms may grow noticeably worse whenever you perform other everyday actions such as climbing stairs, walking, or running. You may find that you can no longer perform essential job tasks, play your chosen sport, or manage household chores without nagging discomfort.

How Does Treatment Relieve SI Joint Symptoms?

While some especially severe cases of SI joint dysfunction may require fusion surgery, you can most likely get the relief you need through more conservative treatment options. These options may include chiropractic adjustment, spinal decompression therapy, and physical therapy exercises.

The first step in treating suspected SI joint dysfunction involves undergoing a thorough diagnostic exam. X-rays and other imaging technologies can reveal any bone overgrowth, deterioration, or joint displacement responsible for your symptoms. (This can also reveal whether you actually suffer from another disorder instead.)

Chiropractors use manual spinal adjustment techniques to restore normal SI joint position and alignment. These adjustments can help to ease your pain, permit more normal joint motion, and limit further joint damage. This can also help to reduce muscle tension and spasms that may have added to your pain and stiffness.

Spinal decompression therapy differs from spinal decompression surgery. In this healing technique, a specialized treatment table gently stretches and adjusts the space between the SI joint and the pelvic bone, easing stress and pressure in the affected area. Exercises, bracing, and corticosteroid injections may also help.

How Can You Prevent or Reduce Future SI Joint Issues?

Corner Chiropractic Center can diagnose a case of SI joint dysfunction and prescribe non-surgical treatments to help you get this debilitating issue under control. Contact our office to learn more.

3 Common Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 18:36:23 GMT

Neck pain can make life unbearable, and it can radiate pain and symptoms to other parts of your body, including the rest of your back. While it may seem like your neck pain is just a part of life, chiropractic treatments may be able to help. Before you schedule your appointment, however, check out these three common causes of chronic neck pain so you know what to expect.

1. Arthritis

Arthritis is a common condition that presents joint pain and stiffness. It has many causes and comes in many forms, but the most common type of arthritis to affect the neck is spondylosis: a form of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is usually caused by wear and tear. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include smoking, injury to the neck, and obesity.

In some cases, rheumatoid arthritis can cause neck pain, but this form of arthritis usually affects smaller joints like the fingers. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis because it is caused by an autoimmune disease. This disease causes your immune system to attack joints, which can cause severe stiffness, pain, and limited mobility.

Chiropractic manipulations and modalities can't cure arthritis, but they can ease the pain associated with arthritis by reducing strain and pressure on joints. Adjusting joints also helps relax affected muscles, which further takes the strain off joints because the muscles engage and take some of the pressure and stress.

2. Strained Muscles

For many people, neck pain is caused by stiff muscles. The two most commonly affected muscles are the levator scapulae and the trapezius. The levator scapulae are responsible for bending and rotating the neck from side to side, and the trapezius helps with many movements, particularly tilting the head upward. For this reason, if you do have strained neck muscles, it may be hard or painful to tilt your head up, bend it, or turn it from side to side.

One of the leading risk factors of strained neck muscles is poor posture (or staying in one position for too long, like when you sleep on your stomach). Poor posture overstretches some muscles, forcing them to elongate and weaken. At the same time, other muscles contract and lose flexibility. Over time, poor posture can irritate more and more muscles.

An injury can also cause strained neck muscles. Rear-end-collisions are notorious for causing whiplash, which occurs when the neck is forced forward and backward fast. This damages the soft tissue, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Other causes of strained neck muscles include lifting something heavy, performing a new activity, and repetitive movements.

3. Compressed Nerves

Strained muscles or damaged joints can also lead to cervical radiculopathy or compressed nerves. For example, inflammation from osteoarthritis may put pressure on a nerve, which will cause pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness.

Of course, nerves in the neck don't just affect the neck. Depending on the location of the nerve, the symptoms of a pinched nerve can radiate down the arms, affecting the elbow, hand, wrist, and fingers. This can make it hard or painful to do everyday tasks, such as writing, brushing your teeth, cleaning, etc.

Chiropractic manipulations and modalities help take the pressure off the nerve so it can function properly again. If left untreated, however, compressed nerves can lead to damage that leaves behind scar tissue, torn disc material, and even pieces of bone. These may need to be removed with surgery.

Neck pain can devastate your life and cause you to miss out on the activities you used to love. If you're sick of struggling with pain and limited mobility, seek treatment. For more information, or to schedule a visit, contact us at Corner Chiropractic Center today.

Common Sciatica Risk Factors and How to Manage Them

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 19:26:17 GMT

Sciatica describes pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in your lower back that may extend down your buttocks and legs caused by issues with your sciatic nerve. Unfortunately, sciatica may interfere with your daily life. While some risk factors aren't preventable, you can take certain steps to manage your risks and live a life without pain and discomfort. Here are some common risk factors and what to do to minimize them.

1. You Are Pregnant

Pregnancy is a possible cause of sciatica and may occur from the extra fluid retention your body maintains during pregnancy. This fluid can pass through the pelvis and press on the sciatic nerve. Sometimes, it stems from pressure from your uterus or the unborn baby on the sciatic nerve.

Although you can't prevent pregnancy-related sciatica, you can seek treatment and learn ways to manage the discomfort at home.

2. You Are Between 30 and 50

Additionally and most commonly, people experience sciatica when they're between the ages of 30 and 50. Generally, this risk factor for sciatica poses a problem because you're more likely to develop bone spurs or a herniated disc - two conditions that contribute to pressure on your sciatic nerve - at this age.

While you can't control your age, you can manage your risk for sciatica due to your age by exercising regularly. You may also decrease the likelihood of sciatica by maintaining good posture to prevent the extra stress on your lower back.

3. You Are Obese

In addition, obesity increases your chances of sciatica. The extra weight puts additional stress on the vertebrae and discs in your back. As these components endure the pressure, your spine may change and stimulate sciatica symptoms. To reduce this risk, you should strive to reduce your weight.

Physical activity can reduce your weight. Generally, you want to aim for between 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity each week, particularly moderate-intensity exercises like swimming or speed walking.

You should also focus on your eating habits by cutting your calories and eating a diet consisting of nutrient-rich foods, like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. You want to focus on what you shouldn't eat, such as sugary foods and items high in saturated fat, as well.

4. You Live a Sedentary Lifestyle

Your risk for sciatica also increases when you live a sedentary lifestyle because you don't work out the muscles and other soft tissue in your back like you should.

Ultimately, to correct this problem you need to get up and move enough throughout each day. Not only will you reduce the pressure on your soft tissue, but you also decrease your risk for another risk factor for sciatica - obesity.

5. You Have Diabetes

Diabetes increases your risk of sciatica as well. When you have diabetes, you're at an elevated risk for nerve damage, such as your sciatic nerve.

Ultimately, you want to control your diabetes. You should aim to keep your blood sugar levels before you eat between 70 to 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). After a meal, you should strive to keep your levels under 180 mg/dL. Keep in mind that diet and exercise are vital components of regulating your blood sugar levels.

6. You Smoke

If you smoke, you put yourself more at risk for sciatica for a component in the tobacco - nicotine. This substance damages the tissue in your back and can contribute to the wearing away of the discs in your back.

Ultimately, you want to quit smoking as soon as possible to decrease your risk of the damage nicotine can do to your body.

You can reduce your risk of sciatica with diet regulation, exercise, lifestyle changes, and controlling the underlying risk factors. However, if you already have sciatica, you can visit a chiropractor who can help manage your symptoms more effectively.

Schedule an appointment to see what a chiropractor can do for you whether you have sciatica or are at risk by contacting Corner Chiropractic Center , serving Fair Oaks, CA, and the nearby region, today.

5 Long-Term Complications of Poor Posture

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 14:29:58 GMT

Many people have jobs that require long hours in front of a computer. Plus, thanks to phones, tablets and other forms of daily screen use, more and more people sit incorrectly for long periods of time. Over time, this can affect your posture and make it hard, impossible, or painful to sit or stand straight.

Poor posture has many side effects that can make your life miserable, so if you want to know more, read on.

1. Spinal Deformity

A healthy spine has a few curves, but the curves are minimal, and the spine shouldn't curve to the side. Some people are borne with conditions that cause spinal deformities, such as scoliosis, but poor posture can also lead to changes in your spinal structure. Not only does this affect the way you look, but also it can lead to severe pain and limited mobility because of the abnormal shape.

Poor posture often leads to scoliosis or kyphosis. Scoliosis is when the spine curves to the side. This can be caused when you lean to one side in a chair for long periods. Kyphosis occurs when your spine curves too far outward. This may straighten your lower back, which is naturally curved, or create a hunched back appearance.

2. Poor Lung Performance

If you have chronic bad posture, it may even affect your lung performance. The more you slouch forward, the shorter and tighter your chest muscles become. If they become too tight, they may prevent you from taking deep breaths, which creates issues with shallow breathing.

In addition, poor posture puts pressure on the diaphragm, which makes the diaphragm more difficult to expand. This also makes it harder to take a good deep breath. Without good, healthy breaths, you can't get all the oxygen you need for your internal organs and tissues to function properly.

3. Poor Circulation

Poor circulation is a similar problem to poor lung performance because it hinders how much healthy blood reaches the different cells in your body. Bad posture can cause poor circulation with tight muscles and joints, which may compress arteries.

In particular, poor posture can lead to high blood pressure. The reduced blood flow throughout the body makes your heart work harder.

4. Nerve Pain

Nerves also take a beating when you have poor posture. The incorrect position of bones and muscles can put unnecessary pressure on nerves, which can cause pain throughout the body. A pinched nerve in the top of your neck may cause neck pain, neck stiffness, or headaches. If you have a pinched nerve in the neurovascular bundle, the nerve pain may shoot down your arms.

These conditions can cause constant pain, or they may only cause pins and needles or numbness. The symptoms of a compressed nerve in the neurovascular bundle include feelings of weakness or heaviness in the arms (especially when you raise them above your head), cramp-like pain in arms and hands, changes in the color of the hand, and cold hands.

5. Digestive Issues

Poor posture can even affect your digestive system, and it does this in several ways. First, poor posture puts pressure on your stomach and intestines, which makes it harder for them to properly process and eliminate waste. This slows the digestive process, which can lead to bloating, feelings of fullness, and heartburn.

Constipation is another possible side effect of poor posture. When you have poor posture, and you try to evacuate your bowels, the poor posture causes your knees to fall below your hips, which partially closes the anus and makes it hard to pass stool. Finally, all the excess pressure on the lower abdomen from hunching forward can lead to pressure on the bladder, which can cause incontinence or leaking.

Poor posture has many side effects, and many people suffer from bad posture. However, you can fix your posture over time. One of the best first steps you can take is to talk with a chiropractor. A good chiropractor can relieve immediate pain and teach you exercises that will help with your posture. For more information, contact us at Corner Chiropractic Center today.

Cervical Radiculopathy and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Wed, 20 May 2020 17:43:02 GMT

Cervical radiculopathy affects 83 out of every 100,000 people in the United States, with the majority of cases occurring in individuals aged 45 to 64. This nerve root dysfunction occurs in the cervical spinal column, but it can send unpleasant or disabling neurological symptoms down through the shoulder, arm, and hand.

If you believe that you suffer from cervical radiculopathy, you should know that chiropractic adjustment and other conservative treatment methods can often alleviate the problem, making surgery unnecessary except as a last resort. Take a look at how this problem can affect you and what you can do about it.

How Cervical Radiculopathy Affects Function and Comfort

Medical practitioners describe dysfunction of a spinal nerve root as radiculopathy. You can experience radiculopathy in your back or in your neck, depending on the location of the nerve root. 

Spinal nerve roots extend directly from the spinal cord to the body's major nerves, which in turn branch out into the many smaller nerves that conduct signals to various parts of the body. The cervical nerve roots route all nerve signals between the spinal cord and the upper extremities.

When a cervical nerve root becomes pinched or injured, it cannot send and receive nerve signals normally. This disruption in communication can affect the comfort and function of any (or all) nerves served by the impinged nerve root. As a result, you may experience symptoms in a shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers.

Cervical radiculopathy symptoms usually affect only one extremity at a time, with a nerve root on one side of the cervical spine or the other suffering from impingement. Symptoms include pain, loss of feeling, tingling sensations, and loss of muscle strength or coordination.

Why Cervical Radiculopathy Develops

Nerve roots thread their way through small spaces between the spinal vertebrae. This arrangement makes them vulnerable to compression from neighboring structures. Acute injuries that push these structures out of position (or cause discs to herniate) can pinch cervical nerve roots.

You don't have to experience an injury to develop cervical radiculopathy. Herniated, ruptured, or bulging discs can occur in conjunction with age-related degenerative changes in the spine. Arthritis, bone spurs, and longstanding alignment problems in the cervical spine can also pinch nerve roots.

Not all upper extremity symptoms occur due to cervical radiculopathy. For instance, crushed nerves in the arm or overuse injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome can cause hand or finger problems.

What Chiropractors Can Do About Cervical Radiculopathy

The first step in seeking help for your cervical radiculopathy symptoms involves getting an accurate diagnosis. Chiropractors achieve this through detailed examinations of your neck, symptoms, lifestyle, age, medical history, and other relevant risk factors. This information helps to reveal exactly which nerve root needs treatment.

Gentle, subtle chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine can ease cervical radiculopathy symptoms by treating their underlying cause. For example, adjustments that improve your neck alignment can shift bones or herniated discs away from nerve tissue, restoring the normal flow of nerve signals.

Your chiropractor may enhance the effectiveness of your chiropractic adjustment sessions with other nonsurgical treatment techniques. For example, you may benefit from physical therapy exercises to rebuild weakened muscles or improve your posture. Cervical traction may also help you overcome spinal disc and joint problems.

Once you have your cervical radiculopathy under control, your chiropractor can offer helpful tips for avoiding future episodes. Your preventative wellness plan might include ongoing exercises, ergonomic changes to promote a healthier posture, and periodic chiropractic exams to catch and correct any early-stage spinal imbalances.

Corner Chiropractic Center can discover the cause of your cervical radiculopathy symptoms and prescribe the right of therapies to help your upper extremities regain normal function. Contact us to request an evaluation.

Benefits of Chiropractic Treatments for Hockey Players

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 19:26:55 GMT

Hockey is a rough sport, one in which a main form of defense is checking another player. As such, hockey players suffer a wide range of injuries, including those that affect the spine. Athletes who play hockey can benefit from chiropractic treatments to help with those injuries. Keep reading for the benefits chiropractic treatments can give to hockey players.

Adjust Injured Spines

One of the most common injuries that hockey players suffer are to the spine. Cervical spine injuries are especially common. They suffer these injuries because of the high-speed nature of the sport as well as the environment - ice is hard, and the boards around the rink are stiff. When they fall or get checked, their neck often flexes, which causes the cervical injury.

Chiropractors can use two techniques to treat cervical spine injuries. One is cervical spine manipulation. This technique is the traditional method of adjusting the neck at a high velocity. The other method is cervical spine mobilization, which is a less forceful method of adjusting the neck. Both techniques help heal the cervical spine injury.

Increase Range of Motion

Hockey requires a wide range of motion, both in skating and maneuvering the puck. However, a misaligned spine and the attendant pain can limit that range of motion. Part of the issue is that the misalignment causes weakness in the muscles and tendons near the joints. A limited range of motion can even lead to more injuries.

One of the first actions chiropractors take is to perform a test of the athlete's range of motion. The goal is to observe the player's range limits. Chiropractic care based on that test can help re-align the spine. That alignment then helps strengthen the areas that are causing weakness around the joints. The athlete can then enjoy a wider range of motion when playing.

Enhance Balance and Coordination

Balance and coordination are critical in the sport of hockey as the players are flying around on the ice and hitting each other while trying to maneuver a puck with a stick. While the eyes and ears are the main balance components of the body, the nervous system plays a role.

Chiropractic treatments help rebalance the spine, which is the center of the nervous system. When the spine is in alignment, the nerves can do their job sending signals to the rest of the body. These signals help hockey players maintain their balance and coordination even while engaged in a fast-paced sport.

Boost the Healing Process

Hockey players don't just suffer from injuries that take them out of the game. They suffer from a lot of minor injuries that yield aches and pains. These injuries can result in chronic inflammation from scar tissue, which slows down the healing process.

In the same way that chiropractic care helps the body's central nervous system, it also supports the body's internal healing process. Regular chiropractic treatments can even boost the healing process so that the scar tissue is reduced over time. As a result, the athletes suffer from fewer aches and pains.

Improve Performance

As noted, spinal misalignment can interfere with several body functions. Besides the nervous system, the misaligned spine can also affect the muscular system and, obviously, the overall skeletal system. If these systems aren't running at their optimal level, hockey players are going to find it difficult or even impossible to perform at their own peak level.

Regular chiropractic care can get the spine back into alignment. Indeed, hockey players are susceptible to that misalignment because of the physical nature of the sport. If they get regular adjustments, though, all of their systems will be running better. They should see an improvement in their performance both when training and playing.

Don't let injury or general pain prevent you from playing hockey. Consult with Corner Chiropractic Center about how chiropractic care can help you get back on the ice.