Australian Chiropractors

A Balanced Lifestyle is the Key to Living Longer and Healthier
by Guest Contributor Jamie G. Phillips, DC

Like me, you may be wondering whether or not our human search for longevity has suddenly been replaced by a quest for immortality. Presumably, you’ve been reading a lot lately about the miraculous heart benefits of red wine (resveratrol), the amazing memory retention benefits of coffee (caffeine), and the countless benefits of a horde of exotic supplements that, in one way or another, “guarantee” to reduce or prevent all known causes of mortality.

Let me clarify, first of all, that I believe in taking supplements and take them, myself. Secondly, I would like to be candid and say that I am a person who appreciates a glass of red wine. Therefore, the suggestion that it might genuinely be beneficial to my health, particularly my heart, merely adds to my enjoyment. And, if something as simple as drinking coffee could actually eliminate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, then I’d be tempted to give up my practice and open a Starbucks.

However, before perhaps, acting irrationally, and haphazardly adding another cup of coffee to your morning habit, an extra glass of red wine to your evening meal, or an extra outlay of your hard-earned cash on exotic herbs that promise to make you live forever, let’s rationally think about a couple of things.

For instance, let us consider the human condition. We are dynamic, biological beings, free to enthusiastically participate in life. We have not been restricted to a cage all our life, and we have not been bred to “unnaturally” incur the age-related afflictions that lab animals do, disease and debilitation that is then “eliminated” by resveratrol, caffeine, or some “amazing” supplement.

Furthermore, we are far more than the sum total of our parts. We are dynamic and biological, not “mechanical, conscienceless devices.” We are biologically individual, i.e., we react in a uniquely individual ways to internal irritation factors and external environmental influences. Case in point, though smoking cigarettes is commonly unhealthy, there are a few people who are able to smoke, so it seems, and live to a ripe old age without any apparently-related problems.

The outcomes upon which scientific research and testing are based upon the isolation of a particular variable. It is this method that gives scientific inquiry its legitimacy. However, since tests related to human health issues occur through this very method, and are most often done on lab animals, when it comes to human beings, the effects are very likely to be quite different. In fact, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, what might benefit some of the people all of the time, most likely won’t work for all of the people all of the time (and sometimes won’t work at all!).

Everyday you make considerable choices that affect both your health and longevity. Decisions such as what you’ll eat and how much exercise and rest you’ll get will either be good for you, or not so good. Obviously, your unhealthy choices are not beneficial for your long-term health. And, even though you know, by the way your individual body responds to certain things, you may often ignore these important health messages.

Then, a report comes out asserting that researchers have finally found the “missing link” between we, humans, and immortality, that they’ve uncovered, in fact, THE THING that has the amazing power to reverse all of the overindulgent and unhealthy things you may have been doing to your body on a daily basis, and you, like many others, may want to jump on the bandwagon. Talk about “magical” thinking!

The elegantly balanced system of your body (homeostasis) is highly responsive and intricate. This delicate system becomes “off balance” when you live an unhealthy lifestyle. Eventually, the imbalances nurtured through poor health choices, result in diseases.

As a chiropractor who supplements daily, I suggest that you supplement, too, if they help you to feel vigorously healthy. I agree, as well, that if it feels like the thing to do, an extra cup of coffee might actually be personally beneficial for you. And, if it truly feels healthy, have a little more red wine. Just keep in mind, however, that the only authentic way that you can prevent or reverse age-related health problems is by changing an unhealthy lifestyle. You won’t become healthier or live longer by waiting for the discovery of a “magic potion.”

Dr. Jamie Phillips, a Santa Barbara Chiropractor, has been in private chiropractic practice for 24 years. She is also a consultant for Bloczone Marketing, a chiropractic internet marketing company specializing in chiropractic websites that attract new patients. She can be reached at (805) 985-9502

Sciatica is an extraordinarily painful affliction. If you suffer from sciatica, you are, unfortunately, all too experienced with the deep pain that accompanies your waking hours and inhibits your daily activities.

Sciatic pain generally travels from your low back, through the buttock(s), and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s). Many times, the pain may even radiate into your knee. Sitting, as well as motion, can be painful. Occasionally lying down will lessen, or perhaps temporarily get rid of the pain. Nonetheless, sciatica cannot be corrected without proper treatment.

“Radiculopathy,” the medical term for the clinical diagnosis of sciatica, means simply that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is placing pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve. This type of pressure is extremely painful.

Increased pressure on the intervertebral discs, as well as imbalances in the muscles encompassing the spine, can happen as a consequence of prolonged sitting, specifically in a awkward position. Usually, an explicit event or exact injury doesn’t create sciatica, but, on the contrary, it tends to develop over time as a consequence of average wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. Over time the lower spine loses its ability to function in a healthy way during everyday stresses.

Finally, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, which then lets the soft nucleus protrude the disc outward. If the disc puts pressure on sensitive tissues, it causes the pain that is frequently called a ruptured disc. If the disc pushes on the spinal nerve, then sciatica can develop.

With chiropractic adjustments and care, which commonly includes postural exercises, most disc problems, including sciatica, can be eliminated. If you are experiencing sciatic pain, it is important for you to seek help from your chiropractor.

The art and science of being a doctor, which is to say, the heart and mind of being a doctor, encompasses many things. The long and short of it is that doctors who are successful with their patients are those who continue to listen and learn throughout their years of practice. However, as the entrepreneurial doctor knows, especially a doctor of chiropractic, there’s another important aspect to being a success…marketing. As the old saying goes, you don’t want to be the best kept secret in town! But, marketing has changed a lot over the years and what used to be effective is now actually archaic. With that in mind, I discovered a website that’s offering a free, cutting-edge marketing course!

______________________

Hey, I thought it was about time to talk about social media. It is the main buzzword these days. Perhaps you have heard the expression web 2.0. Well, basically that is the web coming to you instead of you having to go surfing to find things. There are rss feeds that allow you to get the information you want right into your email without ever having to go to the site. And with the new browsers like flock you can follow your friends on twitter, facebook and youtube right on your screen all the time. Now if this sounds like a bunch of gibberish, relax, my team and I have put together a free course to explain it all.

As chiropractors there are basically three main social media sites that are somewhat important for us. And let me be the first to say that none of them are going to make you rich! Anyone that promises 20-30 new patients from twitter or facebook or YouTube for that matter is shining you on!

Now, lets talk about why I think you should join these three sites. It is all about communication. We all know, that is, any of us that have been in practice for a while, that the doctor that keep in frequent contact with their patients,has much better retention then the docs that don’t.

The sweet thing about these sites is it allows you to keep up a relationship with your patients. You know how patients always want that personal relationship? And we don’t have time to develop those relationships with each patient, at least not until now! You see, with these types of sites you can keep patients informed about you and your life and practice, without actually having to individually spend the time. It’s Beautiful! So get cracking on setting up your social media sites.

And if you don’t know how to start, sign up for our free 10 part course right here at Chiropractic Masters.

chiropractic and pregnancy

Is it a good idea to get your spine checked while you are pregnant? Firstly, yes it is highly recommended to get your spine checked while you are pregnant. You’ve probably noticed that, your body is going through many changes, and these alterations will continue as the pregnancy progresses. One change that goes basically unnoticed is your body’s increased production of the hormone elastin. This hormone is designed to relax the tendons in the pelvis. This relaxation allows the pelvis more flexibility during the birthing process to make delivering the baby easier.

This process, despite the fact that its function is to assist the mother during labor, can create a lot of back pain in the months leading up to the birth. As the pregnancy advances, more elastin is released, which allows the pelvis to become increasingly more unstable. In combination with the increased size of the baby and uterus, and you have the ingredients for severe low back pain. As an Oxnard Chiropractor I see many pregnant women in my practice in my clinic for a variety of symptoms, but generally it is for their low back pain.

One side benefit of having your spine and pelvis checked by a chiropractor regularly during your pregnancy is that it has been shown to actually decrease labor time. Why do chiropractic adjustments help? Simply put, if the pelvis is where it needs to be, the muscles contracting during the labor process are more efficient and won’t have to strain against misaligned joints.

In answer to the second question above, by all means chiropractic care during your pregnancy is safe. Chiropractic is not only safe and beneficial in relieving the low back pain associated with pregnancy, but other symptoms like heartburn, nausea, swelling, and so on. Certain trained chiropractors can also help mothers who have a breached baby. This is done by using the Webster Technique, a low force technique to manipulate the uterus and get the baby into the proper presentation for delivery. Additional information on the Webster Technique can easily be found online.

In summation, not only is chiropractic safe for pregnant women, it is also very beneficial in helping with the symptoms associated with their pregnancy. If you are pregnant, I highly recommend that you go to see a good local chiropractor, or if you live or work in the area, look up your Oxnard Chiropractor. We can make you quite a bit more comfortable in the months of your pregnancy, and we can even make the labor process easier.

The detrimental effects of pharmaceuticals on the health of children has many moms and dads disturbed. Parents want to know if there is something better that they can do for their child than to give them prescription drugs.

Many children’s prescription and non-prescription drugs often not only mask a child’s symptoms, but can produce negative side effects. Their desire to maintain a state of true health for their children has encouraged moms and dads to seek health care opportunities that assist their child’s own innate ability to be healthy.

Chiropractic care is that option. All children function better with 100% nerve function. The immune system is controlled by the nervous system. When it is functioning at its peak, children stay healthier.  As the adage goes, “the best offense is a good defense.” Everyday, children are exposed to massive amounts of airborn, food-born, and contact bacteria. So many bacteria, in fact, that it would be inconceivable to immunize them against them all. Your Camarillo Chiropractor has both knowledge and experience with colds, sore throats, ear infections, fevers, colic, asthma, tonsillitis, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, pains, falls, stomach-aches, and the hundred and one little (and big) things children go through as they are growing up.

The goal of a chiropractor is to help keep your child healthy and strong so that the complaints that seem to be an inevitable part of childhood, either will not affect your child as intensely or won’t affect them at all. Chiropractic adjustments helps to remove interferences to the innate healing power that runs through your child’s body. When that power is released, the healthy results that take place many times appear to be profound.

Furthermore, a child has less tendency to be injured at play or in sports when his or her spine is in alignment. In addition, children who are brought in regularly for chiropractic care don’t appear to experience as many “growing pains” as other children.

Each day at your Chiropractor we are happy to see that more and more parents are bringing their children to our clinic to address the questions and concerns they have about their children’s health. Every child is deserve the right to express their entire potential. Chiropractic care for children at your Camarillo Chiropractor is safe, gentle and effective.

If you are experiencing back pain looking to a traditional healing approach may not incontrovertibly be the answer for you.  As a matter of fact, many times when medical science is unable to help a person overcome pain, some natural methods have been identified as being very effective.  Medical approaches, by their nature, are inclined to treat the symptoms of a problem, not the origin. However, natural techniques look for the fundemental cause of the pain.  If you’re interested in experiencing natural methods that have been confirmed to be potent in relieving back pain and many other difficulties, you don’t need to look any further than chiropractic and acupuncture.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been essential to traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.  It is earning popularity many places around the world and for an excellent reason: A vast number of people have undergone relief from their back pain and a number of other afflictions by visiting an acupuncturist on a regular basis.  According to traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy, small needles are put into the body at distinct points that are believed to affect a number of different areas of the body.  Customarily, only the needles are used, though at times and especially these days, tiny electrical currents are directed through the needles into the body.  Although it may seem as if it would hurt, it rarely ever does and, in fact, many people feel tranquil and pleasurable sensations while undergoing acupuncture treatments.

Chiropractic

For over one hundred years, chiropractors, such as a Honolulu chiropractor, (also called doctors of chiropractic) have been treating men, women, and even children suffering from back pain and other health problems. A chiropractor cares for those who are suffering from musculoskeletal and nervous system problems. Chiropractic medicine treats the deviations of the vertebral column that hamper the capacity of the nervous system. These misaligned vertebra can reduce resistance and immunity, hence producing new health problems. An effectual chiropractor has superior observational and diagnostic skills that assist in detecting physical anomalies and joint conditions. Many chiropractors employ neurological tests and orthopedic checks. Some will analyze the posture of someone as a way of identifying postural anomalies, and in addition may observe a person’s gait to identify faulty movement patterns. Chiropractic therapy non-invasive, drug-free treatment as well as advice and education about the benefits of individual lifestyle changes, such as in exercise and nutrition.

So, if you have back pain, headaches, neck pain, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, balance challenges, or arthritis, and you’ve tried a number of other things and and you’re still suffering, it could be time for you to try chiropractic and acupuncture.  One way to find out  for sure is to go in to see a good chiropractor or acupuncturist, and to allow them to tell you definitively what they are going to be able to do for you.  It’s very possible that you will experience some relief from your suffering even after only one visit.  With subsequent visits, you will make more advancements and improvements, and you might just find that these natural treatments work best for your back pain.

San Diego Chiropractor: Chiropractic and Arthritis

Do you suffer from painful arthritis? Do you also have a challenge with your weight?  If you’ve answered yes to both questions, it’s conceivable that you’re having back pain not only due to arthritis, but also because of the burden your weight is putting on your spine.  The body was not intended to carry around additional weight in the form of body fat.  If you are carrying around only an additional 20 or 30 pounds of extra weight, your spine, which supports the body, is being put under a tremendous amount of strain. This kind of strain can cause irregularities of the vertebral column. These misaligned vertebra can generate arthritic changes in the spine and continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place. Furthermore, your body may counteract in other ways, like your hips moving forward or tilting to counterbalance the excess pounds.  This can restrict the sciatic nerve, which is intensely painful.

A new survey by the NPD Group, a leading market research organization based in Rosemont, Ill., shows that about 62% of adults and 34% of children are overweight or obese. The ubiquitousness of arthritis increases with accumulating weight. Research suggests that cultivating a healthy weight lessens the risk of developing arthritis in the first place and may decrease degenerative progression. A weight decrease of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis and would do quite a lot to decrease back pain as well.

In order for a person to get rid of their back pain, knee pain, and pain in the joints in other regions of the body, a good diet and appropriate exercise is imperative.  Even though this counsel probably doesn’t strike you as anything new, it truly is the only solution for you to get out of pain and regain your life.

First of all, let’s talk about the topic of dieting.  There are a huge number of different ways to diet and most of them are useful only for a limited period.  Sadly, the diet industry is not concerned about your losing weight permanently because consequently they would not have you as a customer.  Eating a healthy diet (as a lifestyle choice and not a temporary fix) and cutting your calories so that you are at a slight calorie “deficit,” is the only way to lose weight in a healthy, permanent manner.  Losing a large amount of weight too rapidly is not only unhealthy, but dangerous. A good goal is to lose about 2 pounds every week in order for it to work well.

Research has shown that exercise and physical activity not only reduces pain and augments function, but actually delays disability. Be certain to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a minimum of 3 days a week. Even at 10-minute intervals such movement is beneficial.

Chiropractic treatment is a highly beneficial way to get mobility back in the joints of your spine and other regions of, and can be a good first step prior to starting an exercise program. A spine in alignment makes exercise and physical activity much easier and will slow down arthritic degenerative changes. The Annals of Internal Medicine published the findings of a survey of 232 people who had arthritis and were under a rheumatologist’s care.  Of those people, 63% replied to the survey by stating that they were taking advantage of some kind of “complementary care” as named by the study.  Of those responders, 31% were trying chiropractic. Undoubtedly the most notable statistic was that 73% of those using chiropractic found it helpful.  Indicating why they’d tried the non-medical chiropractic care, people provided a number of reasons: 1) to reduce pain, 2) they’d been told that it helps, 3) they felt assured that it is safe, 4) it had aided someone they knew, and 5) because their prescription medication wasn’t working.

Chiropractors, also called doctors of chiropractic, have been helping men and women suffering from back pain due to arthritis and other arthritic afflictions for over a hundred years. Your San Diego chiropractor treats misaligned vertebra that, in addition to creating arthritic pain and degenerative changes in the spine, can weaken resistance and immunity, which can lead to new health challenges.

It is always a good idea to consult a health care professional to discuss diet and exercise. If you looking for expert advice on the kind of lifestyle changes that you will required to help you to manage your arthritis, your chiropractor will be more than glad to assist you. Furthermore, in addition to getting your spine in alignment through gentle adjustments, your chiropractor will analyze any faulty gait patterns or posture irregularities that may be adding to the pain you are experiencing.

There is a large number of individuals today in a daily struggle to lose weight, notably too much weight around the middle. But, the necessity to lose weight is, most often, more than merely a cosmetic issue.  In actuality, if people are lugging around extra weight in their midsection, their back is going to suffer as an outcome.

The majority of individuals who are overweight suffer from moderate to severe back pain. This happens because the spine was not made to haul something that is more substantial in weight than the body is at its naturally healthy weight.  As a human being puts on extra poundage, the spine begins to distort and to compress, causing a lot of pain and discomfort.  The pelvis can conjointly be affected and become tilted forward causing it to pinch the sciatic nerve. This is a major reason why people who are overweight tend to have problems with their lower back. The pain is due to either sciatica or the distorting of the spinal column.

If this situation sounds achingly familiar, and you’d like to get out pain, unmistakeably the thing to do is to get rid of some of the extra weight that you are toting around, and your spine will immediately respond and reestablish its regular position.  Unfortunately, weight loss isn’t easy and it can take time, even with the best of intentions. But, luckily you don’t have to continue to experience back pain as you lose the weight. A Costa Mesa chiropractor can assist you in getting the pain relief you’ll need as you shed the extra pounds.

Even so, you will still need to lose the additional poundage, and being free of back pain will undoubted assist you in doing it. Losing the extra weight naturally and healthfully is crucial, and there are two (simple but not easy) things that will definitely work: Get some type of exercise every day, even if it’s just a bit, and be certain that you take in fewer calories than you burn! Sure, you’ve heard about these two things before. Nonetheless, now that you know your back is depending on you, it definitely time to get truly motivated.

Start exercising slowly, particular if you’re having difficulties with back pain. And, most importantly, be sure to see a chiropractor so that you don’t go wrong the way many people do, which is to exercise into the pain. That will without a doubt make your condition worse. Exercise, though sometimes uncomfortable, should never be painful or cause pain. That’s why seeing a chiropractor is important if you’re suffering from back pain.

Do basic stretching exercises and also concentrate on your core abdominal body muscles. Strong stomach muscles assisting in relieving back pain. Your chiropractor will be able to offer exercises that are best for you, personally. After a very short period of dedication to shedding the pounds that are causing your back pain and possibly other health issues as well, you should begin to notice a dramatic difference in the way that you feel.

Scoliosis an Introduction

When the body is seen from behind, a normal spine looks straight without much deviation from laterally. But, if the spine is viewed to have a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature, the individual might have a condition called scoliosis.This condition many times gives the appearance of the individual leaning to one side although it should not be confused with unsatisfactory posture. Scoliosis is a complicated deformity that is defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra often creating a characteristic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is created by the vertebrae in the area of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their attached ribs posterior thus producing the symptomatic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. The pulmonary and cardiac functions can be impeded if the thoracic curve and rib rotation exceeds 70 degrees. Frequently later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this intensity of curve and consequential cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.

Anatomy

The spine displays four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral, all of which are observable from a side view of the trunk. In the lower spine there is a normal “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest vicinity has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while increased swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Scoliosis changes generally accompany diversions from normal on a side view. Postural exercises can correct some round back deformities that are simply due to bad posture. A small percentage of patients with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This class of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more problematic to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Even a nonprofessional can help to identify a child or fully-grown individual with scoliosis just by viewing the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in boxers, and observing the following:

• One shoulder may be higher than the other.

• One scapula (shoulder blade) may be higher or more conspicuous than the other.

• There may be more space between the arm and the body on one side when the arms hang freely at the side.

• One hip may seem to be more elevated or more conspicuous than the other.

• The head is not aligned with the pelvis.

• One side of the back appears higher than the other when the individual is viewed from the rear and asked to flex forward until the the spine is horizontal.

Once scoliosis is detected, the child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further evaluation. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

There are many different causes and many kinds of scoliosis, however the most prevalent, by far, is Idiopathic Scoliosis, which accounts for approximately 85 % of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is observed with equal occurrence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. Depending on the age of onset, this disorder can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types. Idiopathic Scoliosis often runs in families and may be caused by genetic or hereditary influences. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves increase in size and require treatment. The most frequent time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are ending the last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are disinclined to permit their body to be looked at by parents and other adults, so it is wise to have this age group examined on a regular basis.

If a scoliotic curve is found in the growing adolescent, it is crucial that the curves be monitored for change by periodic examination and occasionally standing X-rays. In ninety percent of conditions, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, however increases in spinal deformity necessitate evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other therapy is necessary. In a small number of patients, surgical treatment may be necessary.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of people.

Brace support (orthosis) is recommended for newly-found conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is identified in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are a number of styles of braces, all made to prevent curves from increasing through acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Bracing is effectual in preventing curve progression in a significant percentage of skeletally-immature adolescents. Nevertheless, braces generally won’t make the spine entirely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from progressing.

Scoliosis has no simple solution. The majority of cases, even though often monitored, are not actively treated. Severe conditions are sometimes treated surgically, but the common medical treatment for moderate symptoms is a brace. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

In addition to bracing, many other methods have been used successfully like specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It seems like the most beneficial results have been maintained with a multi-faceted approach to the treatment of this abnormality.

There are chiropractors, that have years of experience treating scoliosis cases.

San Jose Chiropractor: Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions

Besides spinal problems, knee pain and disability is one of the most frequent problems of the musculoskeletal system. Problems with the knee can be separated into several categories including unsatisfactory of the knee and faulty foot mechanics that compensate for foot pain, general overuse of the knee joint,  inflammation due to arthritic changes in the joint, and traumatic injury from events such as sports and falls.

Non-trauma knee problems: Deficient mechanics of the knee joint and the corresponding stress on the soft tissues of the knee are, by far, the most widespread cause of non-traumatic pain. The patella or knee-cap is normally the area affected because many times the patella does not move adequately on the femur during bending of the knee producing abnormal stress on the tendons, cartilage and ligaments. This particular condition is often called chondromalacia patella (CMP) or Patella Femoral Syndrome (Knee Cap Pain). The problem usually starts when there are imbalances in the quadriceps muscles of the thigh that attach to and move the patella. Lower back conditions, especially in the sacroiliac joints, are one of the foremost reasons for imbalances in the muscles related to knee movement, and resultant knee problems. Pain and dysfunction can also be produced by imbalances in the muscle groups that connect to the knee. For example, pain on the medial or inside of the knee occurs when the muscles on the insides of the thigh are stressed and taut.   Mechanical knee pain is also caused by gait abnormalities such as pronation.

The associated pain from overuse is most generally felt during activity, particularly stair climbing, running, jumping, and following getting up from prolonged sitting. Many women are likely to be predisposed to painful overuse problems for anatomical reasons, although such ailments are often caused by wearing high heels on a regular basis.

The main treatment for mechanical or overuse injuries to the knee is to re-establish proper balance of the muscles, restore proper movement to the patella and other joints of the knee, and to correct any subluxations of the sacroiliac joints and bones of the foot.  In certain cases, a brace is used to assist with the positioning of the patella or to stabilize the joint. Chiropractors, such as your San Jose chiropractor, are highly experienced in administering the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of these ailments.

Knee problems due to trauma: Traumatic injuries often occur during sports that involve running and jumping, particularly. When the knee is pulled or bent beyond the strength of the ligaments that hold the joint together, tearing of these tissues can happen producing a sprain. Strains to muscles that facilitate movement of the knee can occur when the muscles are torn during injury. As with a sprain, a muscle strain can range from a mild injury that requires little care to a serious injury needing surgery. The knee also has two special “cartilages” – the menisci – between the tibia and the femur that allow frictionless motion and cushioning. These cartilages can also be torn during trauma, and often require surgical repair, or even removal if damaged severely.

Traumatic knee injuries can cause severe pain and swelling and need prompt diagnosis and care. In most instances a qualified chiropractor, such as your San Jose Chiropractor, can manage these conditions, however there are some injuries that do need the skills of an orthopedic surgeon. Nevertheless, it is crucial to stabilize the injured joint right away and to put ice on the damaged area, if possible, until the injury can be examined.

Conditions such as poor mechanics and problems due to overuse, as well as traumatic injuries, need to be corrected at an early stage. Otherwise, the tissues of the knee joint, especially the cartilage, will start to erode. Consequently the bones will rub on one another, and changes such as bone spurs can occur. This painful affliction, known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis, is commonly progressive with age. Usual treatment may involve medications such as NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Nevertheless, there are natural anti-inflammatory supplements that produce excellent results such as rosemary, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, bioflavinoids, curcumin. Conservative treatment, such as chiropractic, can be extremely valuable in reducing the pain. Your San Jose chiropractor is will gladly discuss anti-inflammatory supplements. In addition, sufferers can frequently help themselves by keeping their weight down, doing exercises (especially in the pool), and wearing cushioned shoes or insoles.