Headaches have a significant impact on individuals, the health care system, and employers. Lost productivity from migraines cost approximately $13 billion annually. This is not considering the impact migraines have on an individual’s quality of life. Migraines have a more severe effect on quality of life than does osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Fifty seven percent of men and 76 percent of women report at least one major headache per month. As many as 23.6 million Americans have suffered from migraine headaches.
There are many types of headaches and many causes of headaches. People generally know if a headache is associated with the flu, excessive drinking, skipped meals, or other factors that are quit obvious to the patient.
In our Dallas chiropractic office one of the most common types of headaches are ones that are associated with whiplash. It is often reported after a motor vehicle accident. Some headaches are cervicogenic. They start because of a neck problem. Many patients report immediate relief from severe headaches after a chiropractic adjustment.
Most headaches are not life threatening, but a chiropractor who does a thorough exam and history should be able to determine if there is a secondary or more serious cause for the headaches.
Headaches
An Overview of Chiropractic Care
In our Dallas chiropractic clinic we see people that fit into two broad categories. One is acute and the other is chronic. An acute care patient has a sprain/strain. It can be neck pain, low back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, hip pain, or many other scenarios. Since it is acute, adjustments and rehab when done properly help the patient to improve rather quickly. We can usually completely resolve the problem in six to twelve visits.
Unfortunately, when the pain is gone people generally feel that they need no further treatment. This is rarely the case. In addition to chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and rehab, a person who has had one or more acute pain episodes involving joints, muscles, and other soft tissue needs the following:
- Therapeutic exercises: it generally takes 3-5 visits to teach and review the patient’s exercise program. After the patient learns the exercises they must continue to do them at home on a regular basis. Ergonomics also play a big role in the home and workplace. The height of your computer screen, desk, chair, and many other things can affect your health. We offer all inclusive programs that save you money and get the follow-up care done after the pain is gone.
Chronic care is entirely different. I have seen people with sports injuries, workplace injuries, degenerative joint disease/degenerative disk disease, osteoarthritis, and many other conditions where the damage could not be reversed. The people in these situations still have lives to live, children to feed, and bills to pay. They often seek chiropractic care to temporarily improve pain and restore function. Ergonomics and therapeutic exercise are extremely important to these patients. Often the exercises will reduce stiffness and increase range of motion and in some cases relieve pain and reduce the need for chiropractic adjustments.
Neck Pain, Headaches, Whiplash
As a chiropractor in Dallas, GA, the number one problem we see is low back pain. The second most frequent problem we see is neck pain that is often caused by whiplash which happens very often after a car accident. Whiplash can occur for many reasons. We see it after car accidents, sporting events, rough play, and even after patients have been sneezing and coughing a lot.
Headaches often occur because of problems in the neck. A chiropractor can adjust the spine and help the body heal. You may wish to visit our Dallas, GA office if you are experiencing headaches, neck pain, stiffness, or muscle spasms. Many of these same conditions also occur with low back pain or sprain/strain in the lumbar and pelvic regions. See the articles below for more information.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/whiplash/article_em.htm#Whiplash%20Overview
Dr. George is now available at TWO LOCATIONS!
Lost Mountain Chiropractic -1685 Mars Hill Road, NW, Acworth 30101
Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. AND Fridays & Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m..
Chiropractic Wellness - 144 Fox Drive, Dallas 30157
Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. AND Fridays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m..
Just call 678-777-3116 to schedule an appointment at either location!
Do You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
You may have heard of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but do you know if it’s something that effects you?
According to the National Institute of Neurlogical Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), these are common symptoms of Carpal Tunnel:
- Symptoms usually start gradually, with frequent burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers.
- Some carpal tunnel sufferers say their fingers feel useless and swollen, even though little or no swelling is apparent.
- The symptoms often first appear in one or both hands during the night, since many people sleep with flexed wrists. A person with carpal tunnel syndrome may wake up feeling the need to “shake out” the hand or wrist. As symptoms worsen, people might feel tingling during the day.
- Decreased grip strength may make it difficult to form a fist, grasp small objects, or perform other manual tasks.
- In chronic and/or untreated cases, the muscles at the base of the thumb may waste away.
- Some people are unable to tell between hot and cold by touch.
To read the full article from NINDS, visit http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunnel.htm
Chiropractic care may be able to help reduce or eliminate these symptoms of carpal tunnel. To find out if you have carpal tunnel and to see if a chiropractor can help, please call our Dallas GA office at 678-777-3116 for a free consultation.
Hunger Knows No Season
Chiropractic Wellness and many of the people we network with have supported Helping Hands of Paulding food bank. They are wonderful people. In an effort to support their tremendous need to feed the hungry, I am offering you classic Christmas songs from an album I recorded several years ago for $.99 each. 100% of the money will be donated to Helping Hands of Paulding. We’re setting a goal of 500.00. Please help us reach our goal!
Click HERE to make a donation and download Christmas music!
Once you purchase your music, please click on the link that says, “Return to give@drgeorget.com” to download your music. Thank you for your donation!
Since people will be hungry even after Christmas, we are going to support this tremendous organization after the holidays by making a special offer to our patients to help them save money. Every Tuesday from January 4th through February 22nd, we will have a food drive at our office in Dallas, GA. Established patients who bring in $25 of canned food (with receipt) will receive a free adjustment. If you are a new patient and bring in $50 of canned goods (with receipt) you will receive a consultation, exam, report of findings and 1st adjustment free. Any necessary x-rays will be $15 each (x-rays are not always required).
At Chiropractic Wellness, we believe that we can make a difference by working together.
Happy Holidays!
Preventing Colds and Sickness
Over the last several years, the AMA and American Pediatric Association have warned against the use of many commonly sold cold and flu medications. Some of them have been very dangerous and harmed the health of people who have used them.
This may be one of the reasons why we’ve had a lot of interest in our natural cold preventions. So, when your child catches the latest bug from the kids from school, we have natural alternatives to dangerous medicine. We have an herbal throat spray, natural decongestants and immune system boosters. We also have nutritional support to fight viral infections, gastrointestinal problems, mono and more.
During the month of November, Chiropractic Wellness is offering a FREE Systems Survey Analysis at our clinic in Dallas, GA (Paulding County). Please call for details!
Car Manufacturers Need to be More Pro-active to Beat Whiplash
The following article is from Whiplash Injury Claim:
Car manufacturers are not doing enough to help protect against whiplash. Statistics show that in America a rear-end crash occurs every 17 seconds. One of the most common injuries sustained in these types of accidents is whiplash. Whiplash occurs when the force of an impact causes a person’s head to move rapidly forward and then snap back. This action can hyperextend the neck and damage the nerves and ligaments, resulting in ongoing pain and stiffing of the neck. Whiplash can occur even if a crash takes place at low speeds of around ten miles per hour.
The good news is that a lot can be done to protect against whiplash injuries. One simple way would be to install adequate head rests and seatbacks for all passengers, which can reduce the effects of whiplash by providing support to the head. However car manufacturers seem reluctant to spend money in this area, as most car safety reports focus on other areas of importance, most likely because whiplash injuries are very rarely fatal.
But although the injuries may not be fatal they can still cause a lot of discomfort and may result in vertebrate in the neck fracturing and ligaments becoming severed. Later on in life accident victims may suffer from arthritis in the neck as a result of the injury. Every year in America around two million claims for whiplash are filed, with roughly 10 percent of these injuries so serious that they will result in long term damage.
Car manufacturers need to pay more attention to developing headrests and seats that will minimise the effects of whiplash. However this is a challenge, as there is no one sizes fits all and an effective headrest and seat needs to accommodate people of all different shapes and sizes. In addition there needs to be flexibility in the system to allow people to tailor the headrests to their needs, so that they get the maximum benefit. This is especially important for tall people, who are at a higher risk of suffering severe whiplash injuries.
While the car manufacturers need to ensure that the vehicles they produce are as safe as they can be, drivers and passengers need to do their bit as well. Most head rests are adjustable and correct positioning will help prevent severe whiplash. The problem is that most people do not know how to alter their headrest, or what the best position is. In addition many people don’t have the time to change their headrest, or don’t even think that it can help them if they had an accident. Education is required to help drivers and passengers understand the value of making sure that their head rest is currently positioned before driving, just like they ensure they put on their seatbelt.
Cars produced in 2009 will have to meet new federal requirements which concentrate on reducing neck injuries. This rule came in 2005 and aims to bring American car manufacturers up to the standards of their European counter parts. Hopefully this will force the car industry to realise that whiplash can be a life changing injury and more needs to be done to prevent it from occurring.
Danielle is an author of several articles pertaining to No Win No Fee, Compensation Claims, Personal Injury Claims and other legal articles.
View article at http://whiplash-injury-claim.com/car-manufacturers-need-to-be-more-pro-active-to-beat-whiplash/.
Is Chiropractic Care Good For High Blood Pressure?
Check out these studies on Chiropractic and High Blood Pressure. If you have High Blood Pressure, check out our 30 Day Health Challange following these reports.
Subject: Hypertension / Blood Pressure
Title: Effects of Chiropractic Treatment on Blood Pressure and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Reference: Yates RG, Lamping NL, Abram C et al. The effects of chiropractic treatment on blood pressure and anxiety: a randomized, controlled trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1988; 11(6): 484-8
Abstract: This study examined the effects of chiropractic adjustments of the thoracic spine (T1-T5) on blood pressure and state anxiety in 21 patients with elevated blood pressure. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: active treatment, placebo treatment, or no treatment control. The adjustments were performed by a mechanical chiropractic adjusting device (Activator adjusting instrument). Dependent measures obtained pre- and post-treatment included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and state anxiety. Results indicated that systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the active treatment condition, whereas no significant changes occurred in the placebo and control conditions. State anxiety significantly decreased in the active and control conditions. Results provide support for the hypothesis that blood pressure is reduced following chiropractic treatment. Further study is needed to examine the long-term effects of chiropractic treatment on blood pressure. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1988; 11(6):484-488.
Article can be found at: http://www.activator.com/research_04/page_044.asp
Specialized Chiropractic Treatment Reduces High Blood Pressure
Published: Friday, 26 December 2008
The double blind study conducted at the University of Chicago showed blood pressure drops of 17 points that lasted for the eight-week duration of the study. The study was placebo controlled, and there were no side effects from the procedure. Traditional pharmacy treatment of high blood pressure requires the patient to take two medications in order to obtain a drop of 17 points.
http://www.healthnews.com/blogs/melanie-grimes/natural-health/alternative-medicine/specialized-chiropractic-treatment-reduces-high-blo
Lower blood pressure with neck alignment
By Terri Yablonsky Stat
Chicago Tribune – Special to the Tribune
May 8, 2007
A one-time chiropractic adjustment of a misaligned neck vertebra has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension, according to a pilot study by University of Chicago researchers.
When the vertebra, known as the Atlas, or C1, was manipulated in 25 people with high blood pressure, both their systolic and diastolic readings decreased significantly, equal to taking two blood-pressure drugs at once.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined in an adult as a systolic pressure of 140 or higher and/or a diastolic pressure of 90 or higher. The mean blood pressure of those who had the adjustment was 147 systolic before adjustment and 129.8 systolic after. The mean diastolic reading was 92.5 before adjustment and 82.3 after.
For years anecdotal reports have linked blood pressure and neck pain, according to the study’s lead author, Dr. George Bakris, director of the hypertension center at the University of Chicago Medical Center. He and his team decided to put the hypothesis to the test after he was approached by family practitioner Dr. Bruce Bell of Barrington, who has been interested in this phenomenon for years.
The Atlas vertebra, which lies high in the neck, is not anchored like other vertebrae, so it easily slips out of alignment. It relies solely on muscles and ligaments to stay in place. The vertebra also can become displaced without pain and often goes undetected and untreated.
Problem long recognized
”Even back in the 1960s and ’70s, neurosurgeons and some specialized chiropractors knew that things change when you realign C1,” Bakris said. “But there has not been the rigor of the scientific method applied to see what’s going on. We wanted to find out if this effect lasts longer than a week or two.”
Enough chiropractic specialists were aware of the phenomenon to limit their practice to manual alignment of C1. They make up the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. It was a Chicago member of the association, Marshall Dickholtz Sr., to whom patients with high blood pressure and misaligned C1 were sent for the study. Half the patients received a tailor-made adjustment; half received a “sham intervention.” Patients were assessed after the alignment as well as at the end of eight weeks. ”We were shocked to find out that we got more than double what we expected in blood pressure reduction,” Bakris said. Patients did not need to resume taking blood pressure medicine. The effect lasted for months.
Wide-ranging effects
People with a misaligned Atlas vertebra have leg-length disparities that are noticeable when the person lies down and their heel positions are compared. When patients turn their head to the left or right, their heel position changes. If the heels do not appear parallel to one another or change on head-turning, the Atlas is misaligned.
“There’s a lot of nerve traffic through that area,” Bakris said. “We have to figure out why it’s happening.”
Akris and his team are working with the National Institutes of Health and General Electric to develop a proposal to study changes in blood flow at the base of the brain and changes in neurotransmitters possibly related to serotonin. These changes could result in a lack of blood flow involving the Atlas misalignment. Realignment results in higher levels of serotonin and less nerve traffic.
Study results mean that people with Stage 1 hypertension who are in their 40s and 50s may be freed from blood pressure medication for a time. Older patients on three or four medications may be able to reduce their pill count.
Dr. Chuck Woodfield, a chiropractic researcher in Bellingham, Wash., was part of the research team.
“We need to do more research to understand why this effect occurs,” Woodfield said. “It’ll be at least five years before we can get the actual mechanism inside the brain.
“When the Atlas misaligns, you get cascaded effects. There are changes in posture and the way blood flows to the brain stem. This sets up an inflammatory process. When you adjust the Atlas, posture comes back to somewhat normal and inflammation decreases. It improves overall health. I don’t know if it’s a cure-all. It’s just one study, and we need to do a multisite study and look at minority populations.”
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Article available at: http://www.pmaworks.com/main/uploads/lowers_blood_pressure.pdf
Dr. George’s 30 Day Health Challenge
If you have been formally diagnosed and are under medical supervision for High Blood Pressure, we will give you a FREE Exam, Consultation, Report of Findings, AND FIRST ADJUSTMENT!
PLUS, at Chiropractic Wellness, we always offer FREE Blood Pressure Checks at our Dallas, GA office. Just call 678-777-31166 to schedule a no-obligation appointment.
Allergy Symptoms That May Surprise You
Some people suffer from fall allergies like Ragweed and mold. However, many more people suffer from year-round food allergies that they aren’t even aware of. Could you be one of them? Here are some symptoms that may surprise you:
- Headaches
- Stomach Aches
- Gastro-intestine Disorders, irritable bowel syndrome,
- Hyper Activity
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Depression
- Gas and Bloating
- Diarrhea and Constipation
Many patients at our Dallas, GA office have suffered from these signs and symptoms. After chiropractic care and nutritional support, they have reported significant health improvements.
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, give us a call. We offer a free consultation to determine if we can assist you with allergy testing.
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