Assessing And Monitoring Spinal Correction

“How Do We Determine The Amount Of Spinal Correction That Has Occurred?”

Last time we discussed the 3 things required to restore the normal frontwards curve in your neck:

• chiropractic care
• spinal traction
• using the spinal orthotic.

Now, many of you may be wondering how do we know when your neck has been corrected?

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How we find this out is by doing a posture scan and an xray, and comparing these to the posture scan and xray you had done before you started your corrective care.

We typically do these at the 6 month and 12 month mark.

This is the only way to determine if your neck has been corrected or if you need further corrective care which some people do.

But if your neck has been satisfactorily corrected and is stable, then you would qualify for wellness care.

So, what is involved in wellness care?

We still provide you with chiropractic adjustments as needed along with spinal traction and you still need to use the spinal orthotic 3 times per week.

All of these things are required to help you maintain your spinal correction.

But if you stop any or all of these things, your neck will eventually go back into its subluxation pattern and start to degenerate once again.

It is very, very rare however that people choose to stop their chiropractic care once they have experienced the huge benefit it has had on their health.

If you have any questions about this topic or any other health concerns you or your family may have, please send us an email or call us at 905 335 LIFE (5433).

Remember that consultations are always free of charge & family appointments are always available because spinal problems tend to run in families.
Life Chiropractic …. helping families just like yours build healthy, vibrant, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington.

Click Here to Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Straight Versus Backwards Neck Curve

“What Causes You To Have a Straight or Backwards Curved Neck?”

Last time we discussed why it is very important for everybody to have a normal 42 degree forward curve in their neck, and today we will learn how you can end up with a straight neck or a neck with a backwards curve.

How this can happen is from a subluxation of 1 or more of the vertebrae in your neck.

And remember that a subluxation is a partial or incomplete dislocation of a vertebra. We all have them …. it is virtually impossible not to!

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And when a subluxation is left undetected and uncorrected it will cause your spine to assume an unhealthy posture.

An unhealthy posture will cause your spine to degenerate and become arthritic.

Now what is it that can cause you to get a subluxation in your neck?

A difficult birth can especially if forceps were used or the vacuum assist was used.

Sporting injuries where you may have suffered a whiplash or a concussion.

A compressive neck injury where something falls o the top of your head.

Car accidents.

But the biggest thing lately is modern technology repetitive strain injuries.

These are the result of playing video games for hours and hours, texting on a cell phone or sitting in front of a computer.

All of these activities will cause a forward head posture subluxation pattern which will force your neck to become straight or curved backwards.

I am seeing forward head posture subluxation patterns in 60 – 70% of kids under 10 years of age now which is an alarming statistic.

Next time we will discuss what you can do to correct a straight neck or a backwards curved neck, but in the meantime if you have any questions or comments about this topic or any other health concerns you may have, you can send us an email or give us a call at 905 335 5433.

Remember that consultations are always free of charge and family appointments are always available because subluxations tend to run in families.

Life Chiropractic … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington.

Click Here To Book a Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad at The Burlington Clinic

Proper Neck Curve

“Here’s Why Proper Neck Curves Are Important”

Today I would like to discuss reversed cervical curves and why it is important to correct them if you have one.

You can see what I mean if you look at the picture of the xray on the right hand side of our home page.

A reversed cervical curve means that your neck is either straight or curved backwards when it should normally be curved frontwards at a 42 degree angle.

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If your neck is straight or curved backwards, this is going to stretch the spinal cord in your neck.

And just like when you stretch an elastic, the more you pull on it the thinner it gets.

But just imagine if this is happening to your spinal cord?

The thinner your spinal cord gets, the less ability it has to transmit your vital nerve energy that goes from your brain, through the spinal cord in your neck to every single part of your body.

Remember that the spinal cord in your neck is a bundle of every single nerve fibre in your body.

And for all these nerves to be relaxed so that they can freely transmit your nerve energy at full capacity, you must have a 42 degree curve in your neck in the frontwards direction.

Next time, we will discuss how you get a straight neck or a neck with a backwards curve, but in the meantime if you have any questions about this topic or any other health concerns that you may have, all you have to do is shoot us an email or give us a call at 905 335 5433.

Remember that consultations are always free of charge and family appointments are always available because spinal problems tend to run in families. And the sooner we can get at them, the better the correction we can achieve.

Life Chiropractic … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Avoiding Text Neck

“Text Neck – A Consequence of Modern Technology”

Here is some vitally important information  if you or your kids  or your spouse use a cell phone for texting.

There is a  very serious  spinal condition that is becoming more and more prevalent and it is called text- neck.

The most common signs and symptoms if you are suffering from text neck are pain and stiffness in the neck, pain and stiffness in the shoulder/upper back area, headaches and forward head posture.

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These things are the direct result of damage to the spine caused by the un-natural posture associated with repetitive texting and the  scary thing is you can have text-neck and not even know it .

Even though modern technology is now a fact of everyday life for most people, there are definite  consequences and  you should not ignore them.

And text -neck is a serious condition that should never be ignored especially when you consider that kids can send upwards to 3000 text messages in 1 month!

Our job is to help you identify any risks, determine how much spinal damage there is already and recommend the best treatment plan for you.

Remember that consultations are always free of charge and family appointments are also available.

If you use this type of modern technology, than this is a must , not an option.

When your cell phone wears out, you pitch it and buy a new one. What options do you have when your spine wears out?

You don’t!

Call us today at 905 335 (LIFE) 5433.

We can help you from becoming a victim of modern technology injuries.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The Burlington Clinic

Neck Injuries Burlington

“Important Information On Neck Injuries From Our Burlington Clinic”

If you know or suspect you have suffered an injury to your neck, it is very important that you read this article so that you clearly understand the potential consequences of a neck injury.

Too many times with neck injuries, people are told that nothing is wrong and the pain and stiffness will eventually go away on its own. Well, even if it does go away on its own – this does not mean that the injury to the neck has been resolved.

The other thing is that often neck injuries are not treated properly from the onset which can lead to a multitude of health problems for the patient; some of which can have a lasting and debilitating (partially or fully) effect.

You see, the neck is the most susceptible part of the spine when it comes to trauma or injury.

Most people know that neck injuries can result in partial or full paralysis and even death.

But there can be a lot of serious damage to ones neck with far less serious traumas or injuries. Understand that one’s head (skull) weighs about 12 pounds on average and sits atop seven vertebrae called the cervical spine.

These seven vertebrae are what make up the neck part of your spine and are the smallest vertebrae when comparing in size to the 12 thoracic vertebrae (mid-back) and the five lumbar vertebrae (lower back).

So, already the neck is compromised because of the weight on the top end and the fact that this weight sits upon the slightest part of the spine.

Most every type of neck injury will involve some type of violent movement and motion of the head, and because of its weight this can move the neck into positions that are abnormal and/or extreme. This is when neck injuries will definitely occur.

So How Do Neck Injuries Typically Occur?

The most common way is from suffering a whiplash injury either from a fall, a car accident, or a sports injury.

To understand more about the dangers of whiplash, I encourage you to read the post found on this website that discusses whiplash injuries exclusively.

But many other less apparent things can cause neck injuries which are more dangerous in my view, because they may seem so inconsequential to most people.

Here are some of the ways that people sustain neck injuries without realizing it:

 

Sleeping posture: It is very important that you sleep either on your side or your back. The spine is not designed to lie on its front for extended periods. In other words, stomach sleeping is not advisable whether you are an adult, or child, or infant. Because you cannot bury your face into a pillow or mattress and breathe, you have to turn your head to either side so you can breathe and this will certainly kink and injure the neck. Stomach sleeping is also not good for your lower back and can cause low-back pain and stiffness upon awakening.

 

Pillows: It is very important to use a contour pillow to help maintain the very important posture (curve) in your neck while you sleep. Not a mountain of pillows, just one pillow of the right firmness for you specifically, is all you need. Your chiropractor will help you find the exact right pillow. And with the right pillow, you will be able to stay off of your stomach and sleep comfortably on your side or your back and this may also help remedy snoring and/or sleep apnea.

 

Mattress: Again, very important. Too hard or too soft or not firm enough or not soft enough – none of these will allow you to sleep comfortably. When you toss and turn all night this can result in a sprain and strain injury to your neck. Couches are not meant to be slept on for extended periods (ie, used as beds) and with the right mattress you should be able to sleep for 6-8 hours and get up feeling refreshed and not sore or stiff. If you are getting up with headaches and/or neck stiffness, this is a sign that you are injuring your neck during sleep from either using the wrong pillow, mattress, sleeping posture or a combination of any of these. Again, your chiropractor will help you determine what kind of mattress is best for you.

 

Your job: Depending upon what you do, you could be injuring your neck through repetitive strain type injuries. Some examples are; work where you are looking up constantly and/or with arms extended above the head. This is common to many construction workers or people who work with trees. Working in awkward positions where the head and neck are kinked due to the nature of the work space are never good for one’s neck. Construction workers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, heating and air technicians, computer repair and service technicians; often injure their necks due to the physical demands that are constantly put on their necks. Sitting at a desk working at a computer is one the most common ways for people to injure their neck in today’s day and age. Extended hours at the computer, an improper chair, poor ergonomics regarding work station design and poor vision can all contribute to a repetitive strain injury of the neck.

 

Children: Believe it or not, your first neck injury will usually happen during the process of your own birth. Remember that the head and neck are used as an instrument to pull the rest of the body down and out of the birth canal. This can cause a neck injury even when the birth process is uncomplicated but surely will if there are complications. Breech births, base-posterior (upside down) births, vacuum-assisted births, and forceps-assisted births will all put the newborn’s neck at risk. For these reasons, I stress that all new parents have their babies checked for possible neck injuries as soon as possible afterwards. If there is a problem, it can easily be corrected and prevent future problems from occurring. Maintaining good spinal health is so important right from the onset.

 

So What Actually Happens When One Suffers
A Neck Injury?

Several things can happen but the most dangerous is misalignment of one or more of the vertebrae in the neck.

These are termed subluxations and can cause pressure on the spinal cord, pressure on the nerve roots, poor alignment of the spine in the neck, spinal arthritis and degenerative joint disease.

None of these are good for you and will cause you far more serious problems than a sore and stiff neck.

Neck injuries can also result in sprains and strains of the surrounding soft-tissues; these being the muscles, ligaments and tendons that support the head and hold the spinal vertebrae together.

If sprains and strains are not treated properly, scar tissue will form and these tissues will never feel or function the same way again.
Most people equate neck injuries with a sore and stiff neck with or without headaches.

Some people hope that it will go away on its own.

Other people will attempt to mask the symptoms or treat the injury with painkillers, muscle-relaxants or anti-inflammatory drugs.

These are by far your worst choices because nothing ever completely goes away on its own, and the side-effects from drugs and medications are often worse than the symptoms they are attempting to mask.

Massage and physical therapies are better choices but your best recommended treatment by far is chiropractic care.

Chiropractic will restore proper form and function of the spinal vertebrae in the neck.

This will reduce spinal cord pressure, nerve root pressure, and promote healing of the spinal joints and discs; as well as the surrounding muscles, ligaments and tendons.

No other form of treatment can or will do this for you and this is what you absolutely need if you have suffered a neck injury whether acute or chronic.

So if you have suffered a neck injury(s) and you are still suffering, please call our office right away to make an appointment for a free initial consultation.

You will have an opportunity to discuss with me all of your concerns and I will tell you in more detail how chiropractic can help. There is no need to suffer – please call us today!

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic

Causes of Neck Pain

“Major Causes Of Burlington Neck Pain And How To Get Real And Lasting Pain Relief That Won’t Cause Other Problems”

Are you constantly rubbing your neck & upper back when sitting at your work desk or your computer?

Do you feel the need to stretch your neck constantly?

Have you noticed your posture changing when you look at yourself from the side where your head & neck seem to extend out in front of your shoulders?

Is it difficult for you to find a comfortable position to lie down & sleep?

Do you get up in the morning and can barely move your neck because it is so stiff & sore?

Are you getting headaches that seem to stem from your upper back & neck? Do you experience pain anywhere down into to either of your arms?

Is your immunity low & you find yourself getting frequent colds?

If you have neck pain & you answered yes to even one other of the above questions, you have a problem with the alignment of the 7 vertebrae that make up your neck ( cervical spine ). You may have even consulted another professional to find a cure for your neck pain. You may have been told that you need to take a pain-killer, anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxing drug to help your problem. You may have been told to have a massage which is a better choice than the drugs, but this often times is only a temporary solution.

Let me tell you why … if you have neck pain, the cause of your neck pain in most cases is inflamed spinal joints &/or pinched nerves. These are the result of misalignment of the any of the vertebrae that make up your neck. The misaligned vertebrae are the result of stress; postural, physical ( birth, car accidents, sports injuries, whiplashes etc.) & mental/emotional ( most people hold their tension in the neck & upper shoulder area ).

Now, when you have inflamed spinal joints in your neck &/or pinched spinal nerves you will definitely have neck pain.

What your body does to protect this mess in your neck is to make your neck muscles stiff & tight.

This is to minimize any more movement of your neck as more movement will cause more pain & damage your spine even further. Even though stiff & tight muscles are often painful, they are still NOT the cause of your neck pain.It is the underlying inflamed spinal joints &/or pinched nerves. This is why it is totally ridiculous to treat your neck pain with drugs. They do not address the cause of the problem – they mask the symptoms only.

They may make your neck feel better temporarily but you can really injure yourself even further if the drugs’ fool you’ into feeling better. That is why massage would be a better choice; at least there are no side-effects but it still does not address the cause of the problem. And did you know this ? … most of the over-the-counter medications that you would buy yourself to treat your neck pain actually cause cartilage tissue to break down AND prevent new cartilage formation?

My friends — all of your joints are lined with cartilage, even your spinal joints.

So, you take some type of medication for symptomatic relief but you are damaging your spine even further.

How can this make healthy sense?

And don’t think that you don’t have any misaligned vertebrae in your neck.

The reality is; show me someone who doesn’t! Even if your neck is not in pain.

Chiropractic Care … the wisest choice for your neck pain. Safe & gentle treatments. No side-effects. And many other health benefits associated with a healthy neck.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad