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Chiropractic Spinal and Extremity Adjustments for Patients of All Ages

Pregnancy Chiropractic Care

Pregnancy causes a tremendous amount of stress on the weight-bearing joints of the body. Back pain and sciatica are very common, especially in the last trimester. The baby is directly affected by the misalignments of the mother's pelvis, which may lead to breech positioning and developmental disturbances. Pregnant mothers are positioned comfortably for adjustments, assuring safety for the baby. Dr. Jenifer DeWald and Dr. Lindsey Zerdecki are members of the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association and have been awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in the Webster Technique. This technique removes restrictions in the mother's pelvis, allowing the baby to turn to the proper position for birth.

Webster Technique

Chiropractic care benefits all aspects of your body's ability to be healthy. This is accomplished by working with the nervous system--the conduit of intelligence between your brain and body. Doctors of Chiropractic work to correct subluxations (misalignments) of the individual spinal bones. When subluxated, these bones put pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves causing malfunction in any part of the body.

One such malfunction may be the tightening of pelvic muscles and ligaments producing uterine constraint. It is these tense muscles and ligaments and their constraining effect on the uterus which prevent the baby from comfortably assuming the vertex position. The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment used to correct subluxations in the pregnant mother's sacrum and pelvis. This balances the mother's pelvic muscles and ligaments, providing the physiological environment necessary for optimal baby positioning.

Dr. Larry Webster, Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association developed this technique as a safe means to restore proper pelvic structure and function for pregnant mothers. In expectant mothers presenting breech, there has been an 85% reported success rate of the baby turning to the normal vertex position. Most commonly known for its success in turning breech babies, any position of the baby other than vertex may indicate the presence of subluxation and intrauterine constraint. It has been strongly recommended by Doctors trained in this technique, that the specific analysis and adjustment of the sacrum be used throughout pregnancy, to detect subluxations and prevent intrauterine constraint.

Because of the effect the chiropractic adjustment has on all body functions, all pregnant mothers should have their spines checked regularly throughout pregnancy, optimizing health potential for themselves and their developing baby. Yes, chiropractic care from conception and continued after birth for both mother and child has given many families an opportunity for greater health.

Children and Chiropractic

As a concerned parent, you want the best for your child and no doubt wonder if your child is as healthy as he or she could be. Several factors determine your child's overall health. These include: diet, exercise, proper rest, emotional and spiritual support, and a properly functioning nervous system.

It is an old saying, "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree." We all know how important the formative years are in determining the health of our children as they grow older. It is for this reason that chiropractic care is particularly vital to your child's health.

Many parents wonder at what age children should begin seeing a chiropractor. Experienced chiropractors answer that it is never too early to begin chiropractic care. Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of healthcare, and is perfectly appropriate for children. Chiropractic adjustments are painless and will not hurt your child. Chiropractic care benefits children of all ages and stages of development.

How a Child's Spine Develops

At birth, a child's spine is a single C-shaped curve; the newborn lacks the strength to hold up his or her head. At about six months, the neck muscles develop and help the infant hold up his head. At about nine months, the lower back curves, the muscles in the lumbar area develop and the child learns to crawl and stand. The child now has three natural curves in the spine to support the body.

As they learn to walk and run, children fall, and can suffer strains and sprains as a result. Detecting these problems at a young age is critical for the proper development of your child's spine. Many postural problems and back pains we experience as adults frequently are traced back to falls as children or a traumatic childbirth. Having your child's spine checked by a chiropractor at a young age is important for proper development of the bones of the spine.

How Can Parents Recognize Childhood Spinal Problems?

Unless a child has an obvious problem, it can be difficult for parents to recognize when a child has spinal misalignments. It is not always easy for someone other than a chiropractor, highly trained in evaluating the spine, to determine if the child has a problem, just as it is difficult for someone other than a dentist to determine if a child has any cavities. Both cases take the skills of a trained specialist to perform a thorough evaluation.

There are some signs which parents may look for which can be an indicator of a child with a spinal problem. Common indicators of spinal problems may include the child's head consistently being tilted to one side; restricted head or neck motion to one side; disturbed sleeping patterns where the child sleeps for only an hour or two at a time; feeding difficulties in the very young infant; the infant may have difficulty nursing at the breast on one particular side.

Common childhood disorders can also sometimes indicate a spinal problem. Persistent ear infections, sore throats, allergies, colic, headaches, bed-wetting, and hyperactivity are but some of the more common problems for which parents bring their children to the chiropractor. These problems may be the result of nervous system interference or malfunction caused by spine-related problems. Appropriate chiropractic care can restore normal spinal and nervous system function. When the nervous system is functioning properly, chiropractors discover that many health problems resolve themselves.

Children Get Special Treatment

The first thing your chiropractor will do is to conduct a careful and thorough evaluation of your child's spine. Most chiropractors are trained to evaluate pediatric spinal problems and will use gentle, specific skills to identify, evaluate, and treat any involved areas.

Treatment for children is appropriate to their size and needs. Spinal adjustments for children are different from adjustments for adults. Your chiropractor places very gentle pressure on the spine of the child to correct problems and help allow the spine to develop properly. As with adults, your child should feel little or no discomfort. Children usually respond quickly to light adjustments and other chiropractic treatment.
Children's spines are a lot more mobile and resilient than those of adults and as a result, usually require only a few adjustments to restore normal function. The actual number of adjustments; however, may vary depending on the length of time that the condition has been present.

Today, many progressive parents are choosing conservative chiropractic care to help maximize their child's own natural defenses. The chiropractic approach to health is safe and natural; therefore, your chiropractor may be the best doctor to help your child. Parents should feel encouraged to have a Doctor of Chiropractic as part of their health professionals network.

Massage Therapy

BENEFITS OF MASSAGE

-Helps relieve stress & aids relaxation
-Helps relieve muscle tension & stiffness
-Increases joint flexibility
-Improves circulation
-Reduces blood pressure
-Relieves tension-related headaches
-Increases range of motion
-Reduces levels of anxiety
-Strengthens the immune system
-Improves athletic performance

Lumbar Traction

Whether applied manually or mechanically, the benefits of traction are similar. It is an excellent therapy choice to reduce pressure on lumbar (lower back) discs. Traction effectively reduces joint and nerve pain, pressure, and inflammation, caused by bulging or herniated discs. This procedure is quite comfortable, and lasts several minutes.

Ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound is a procedure that utilizes sound waves to treat injured muscles, joints, and soft tissues. The sound waves vibrate the tissues back and forth, creating a deep, micro-massage effect. In the case of a recent injury, this helps to decrease scar tissue and adhesion formation, which would otherwise interfere with the body's healing process. The sound waves also decrease inflammation by destroying unwanted inflammatory cells. The sound waves also accelerate healing by stimulating the activity of the cells responsible for cellular and tissue repair. In chronic cases, special settings are used to create a deep-heating effect, heating the tissues far below the skin's surface. This heat, along with the vibrations that are caused by the ultrasound, help to ease the muscle spasms and "knots" felt in our muscles.

Electric Muscle Stimulation

This therapy involves low levels of electrical impulses delivered to the injured, painful tissues to reduce pain and speed healing. Often described by patients as a pleasant, "tingling" sensation, these impulses stimulate the body to release natural pain relievers, called endorphins. These endorphins reduce pain and inflammation, thereby promoting faster healing of the injured tissues. This therapy is often used to treat acute or chronic pain, as well as strains or sprains of the muscles, joints, and soft tissues of the spine and extremities.

Heat Therapy

The use of heat is effective in treating conditions that are more chronic in nature. It is not recommended that heat be used within the First few days of a new injury, especially when any signs of swelling are present. The best forms of heat are in the form of a warm bath/shower or a moist heating pad. As with ice therapy, apply the heat for a maximum of 20 minutes per hour. Never go to sleep with a heating pad, as this can result in increased pain and tissue damage.

Ice Therapy

Ice therapy or cryotherapy is often thought of as the therapy of choice for acute injuries. Actually, the application of ice over any painful tissue is usually effective at any stage of an injury. It works by constricting blood flow to the tissue, thereby reducing swelling, pain, and muscular spasms. It is very important to use ice correctly. It should be used for a maximum of 20 minutes, but may be applied each hour. Also, it is important that you do not apply the ice directly to the skin. Instead, wrap the ice pack in a paper towel or thin damp cloth prior to applying to the injured area.