A baby born “down under” who was weak and underweight at birth is now living and walking normally thanks to Chiropractic.

When Caylee Taylor was born in Mawson Lakes, Australia, she weighed just 3 pounds. This may have had to do with the fact that her twin sister weighed in at 7 pounds and there just wasn’t enough room in her mother’s womb to fully develop. Additionally, as she grew, it was noticed that her muscle tone was low and that she had problems with sucking.

Caylee was fortunate that her mother Kerry was a regular Chiropractic visitor and was quick to consult her chiropractor about her daughter’s condition. She wondered if Chiropractic could help her daughter. Some study results suggest that up to 80 percent of all newborn infants have some type of nerve dysfunction which could later lead to any number of health problems, so Caylee’s mother was certainly on the right track toward helping her daughter with Chiropractic.

Treatments from Caylee’s chiropractor began with gentle cranial adjustments that were delivered to her via the roof of her mouth and also to her skull. “Caylee could not be breast fed and even found the bottle difficult,” said her chiropractor Dr. Rebecca Rose. “This helped to improve the function of her skull and re-shape her cranium.”

As Caylee continued to grow and neared the age of walking, it was further noted that her muscle strength was low and that attempts to keep her balance were a real struggle. For this problem, Dr. Rose treated her young patient with tiny adjustments to her back and feet to help restore her nervous system balance. The pressure that was applied was very gentle, no greater than the amount of pressure one would comfortably apply to an eyeball. “By working with Caylee, I was able to improve the overall structure and awareness of her body in space leading to fewer falls and much greater coordination.”

Caylee’s mom was very pleased with the progress her daughter was making as well. Soon she was walking without falling down, said Kerry. “She was able to bend her knees and her general muscle tone was improving.”

Now 3 years old, Caylee and her twin sister both get regular Chiropractic check-ups every six weeks. “There has been a remarkable change in Caylee’s stability. Chiropractic is helping our whole family stay healthy and feel at our best,” said Kerry.

Not many people like doing housework. For most, it’s a real pain in the aaah … what’s the word? Sacroiliac. But it’s not just the disruption it causes to your longed-for life of leisure; it really can be a pain. Literally.

The activities you carry out around the house may not seem too physically demanding, but if you don’t pay attention to how you are doing them, even something like washing the dishes can put a strain on your back and cause debilitating pain.

One of the chief culprits in housework, and generally, is lifting. It doesn’t matter what you are picking up, if you do it incorrectly you can injure yourself. The correct approach is to bend at the knees, not from the waist. The item you’re picking up should be held close in to the body, and there should be no twisting, which can hurt the spine; if you want to turn in another direction, take a step that way once you have straightened up.

Tips to Save Your Back

Here are some tips that will help you take the strain out of your household duties:

• Washing the dishes, try opening the cabinet under the sink, bending a knee and placing a foot on the raised shelf inside. Also try leaning forward against the counter to transfer some of your weight forward for a little support.
• Similarly, with ironing, use a small stool and raise one foot onto it to take some of the strain from your back.
• When using a vacuum cleaner, adopt the same stance you would see combatants take in a fencing match, one foot stepped back behind the other. Move your weight from one foot to the other as you push the machine back and forward, and pivot on the back foot when you wish to turn.
• Even talking on the telephone can be a problem if you are prone to cradling the handset between your ear and your raised shoulder. Quasimodo was the first one to notice this. The spinal joints in the neck and upper back can lock when you do this. Fortunately, as humans, we have opposing thumbs and can very easily hold objects in our hands. Either that, or use a speaker phone.
• Watching TV with your head resting on the arm of the sofa is not good, because the angle is too acute for your neck joints.
• When your back does start to hurt, use a cold pack. To avoid leaping through the ceiling, first moisten a towel with warm water before encasing the cold pack in it. That way, there will be a gradual transition from warm to cold. A bag of frozen peas is a good alternative, and is easily moldable to your contours.
• If you suffer with pain for a couple of days without relief, or you feel weakness, numbness or tingling in your hands or feet, a visit to your doctor of chiropractic is in order.

A Chiropractic-based research project is being used to study the effectiveness of Chiropractic care and it’s relation to the general health status of patients.

Data was collected from 311 patients for the project using the RAND Health Survey and a global well-being scale. X-rays of pre-adjustment and post-adjustment were also reviewed for the study.

Participants in the study were between the ages of 18 and 59-years-old. The patients received care until the maximum improvement for their specific complaint was reached.

Among the conditions being studied were back pain, neck pain, and headaches. 40% of the problems were acute, whereas 60% had been long-term problems.

Health surveys were distributed to patients at the initial visit, after four weeks, and again at the end of the program. The well-being scale was completed at each visit. Results showed Chiropractic adjustments significantly improved the musculoskeletal conditions of participants by an average 51-75%.

According to the health survey, significant improvements were noted following Chiropractic care in all of the surveyed categories: physical function, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional and mental health.

In the past, a patient presenting to a doctor with rheumatoid arthritis would not be told to “take a hike”. First of all, that would have sounded rude, but as a genuine piece of advice it just didn’t figure in a doctor’s thoughts. Arthritis was looked on as a natural and unavoidable part of getting old, and was taken as a message that the patient had to ease back on their daily activities or risk aggravating the condition.

Not any more. Current research and clinical results tell us that an arthritis sufferer does not have to spend their remaining years popping pills and lying in bed.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The word “arthritis” translates as “joint inflammation” and it is often used to describe an assortment of rheumatic diseases, of which there are more than 100 conditions. These include the commonly-known gout, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and psoriatic arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is also classified as a rheumatic disease and affects 2.1 million people in the United States, equating to around 1% of the population. Usually considered a disease of middle to old age, rheumatoid arthritis can also manifest in a person’s younger years.
The physical effects of rheumatoid arthritis include pain, swelling, stiffness, and a loss of function in the joints. It differs from other forms of arthritis by having the following characteristics:

• Joints that are tender, warm, and swollen.
• Fatigue, sometimes with a fever, and a general feeling of malaise.
• Pain and stiffness that lasts more than half an hour following a long rest.
• A symmetrical pattern of affected areas. Where one hand is affected, so is the other.
• Most frequently affected are the wrist and finger joints closest to the hand, although it can also take its toll on the joints of the neck, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, ankle, and foot.
• The disease can persist for many years and may have systemic effects; that is, affect more than the joints.

Individuals can never know exactly what to expect with rheumatoid arthritis. It hits people in different ways. Some may suffer mildly for a few months then become symptom-free. Then again, symptoms of mild arthritis may last for years, with periodic flare-ups alternating with periods of remission. Cases of severe arthritis, on the other hand, tend to produce a chronic pain that does not retreat and ends up causing serious joint damage and disability.

What About Exercise?

Nowadays, regular exercise is seen as a crucial part of arthritis management because it helps to maintain muscle tone, joint mobility, overall flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, and weight control. However, there must be a balance between exercise and rest, because rest is also necessary to reduce joint inflammation, pain, and fatigue. How this is handled should be dictated by a person’s individual circumstances. During the active phase of arthritis, it is advisable to take more rest, while more exercise would be the prescription during periods of remission. When dealing with acute flare-ups affecting the whole system or acute local joint flares, the advice is that patients gently put their joints through a full range of motion once a day, interspersed with periods of rest. A healthcare professional will be able to advise on exactly what proportion of exercise/rest is best for the individual.
These are the exercises most commonly recommended for arthritis sufferers:

Patients should talk to their healthcare provider if they experience any of the following:

• Fatigue that is unusually persistent or severe
• Increased weakness
• Restricted range of motion, beyond that normally suffered
• Increase in joint swelling
• Pain following exercise that persists for more than an hour

For an arthritis sufferer, the doctor of chiropractic will help create and hone their exercise programs to gain optimum results while minimizing any discomfort. Crucially, chiropractors can identify those exercises that are to be considered off-limits, according to the specific circumstances of the patient.
Nutrition for the Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

The drug regimen for arthritis patients is aimed at suppressing the immune system and therefore slowing the progression of the disease, but an important complimentary approach lies in sticking to correct sources of nutrition. This can help to alleviate inflammation and retard the disease.
Some of the foods and nutritional supplements identified as useful for managing arthritis are:

• Fatty-acid supplements: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Some studies have shown that these supplements have efficacy in helping reduce pain and inflammation, thus lessening a patient’s dependence on corticosteroids. Deep-sea fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring and halibut are good sources of EPA and DHA. GLA is harder to find in food sources, as oppose to supplement form, but is present in foods such as black currants and borage seeds.
• The spice turmeric may also be helpful, and it has been shown that a 95% curcuminoid extract can significantly reduce inflammation and joint pain.
• Studies have also shown that ginger extract, nettle leaf extract, a vegetarian diet and a low-allergen diet can all help to reduce the pain and inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.

Having said that, the benefits and risks of these agents and others are still being researched, therefore you should always consult with a healthcare professional before embarking on any change in diet or supplementation program. This is especially the case if you are taking doctor-prescribed medications for your condition.

How Can Your Doctor of Chiropractic Help?

Your doctor of chiropractic can help you plan an exercise program tailored to your individual circumstances, with the aim of:

• Helping restore to your joints any lost range of motion.
• Improving your flexibility and overall physical endurance.
• Increasing both your muscle tone and strength.

Chiropractors can also offer advice on optimizing your nutritional intake and on which supplements may be beneficial, all designed to reduce and control your joint pain and inflammation.

Automobile drivers in the United States are involved in over 5 million auto accidents each year. As a result, over 2 million people annually suffer from some form of injury as a result of the crash. Whiplash is the most common injury received by an accident victim.

A history of disappointing results in the treatment of whiplash patients throughout the medical profession has lead researchers to further investigate the benefits of Chiropractic in victim care. The study published in the Journal of Orthopedic Medicine points out the superiority of Chiropractic care for whiplash patients and examines the type of injuries which might best respond.

Whiplash injury involves the sudden movement of the head in any direction. The result is that muscles and ligaments supporting the spine can become strained or torn. Some symptoms include neck pain or stiffness, pain between the shoulder blades, blurred vision, fatigue, headache, and dizziness, just to name a few.

This study was designed to determine which patients with chronic whiplash could benefit from Chiropractic intervention. One hundred Chiropractic referrals for chronic whiplash symptoms formed the study groups.

Group 1 members were those with radiating neck pain and restricted neck movement but no apparent nerve damage. Group 2 had symptoms of nerve damage associated with neck pain and restricted motion. Group 3 members had severe neck pain and restricted motion, plus had more serious symptoms including blackouts, vision problems, nausea, vomiting, and chest pain.

Each person received an average of 19 treatments over a 4 month period. Excellent improvements were seen in the first two groups. In Group 1, 72% of the patients gained “some benefit” with symptoms disappearing completely for 24%. Group 2 had 94% responding positively with symptoms disappearing completely for 38%. Only Group 3, the group with the most severe whiplash problems, showed only 27% improvement.

Researchers concluded that Chiropractic provided superior care in treating whiplash patients. “The results from this study provide further evidence that Chiropractic is an effective treatment for chronic whiplash symptoms,” the researchers said. Pointing to the results in Group 3, they emphasized that a careful history and physical exam be done on all patients before treatment is commenced.

Good computer ergonomics – our posture when we sit at our workstations – is important for children as well as for adults. According to a New York Times article, over 70% of America’s 30 million elementary school students use computers. With the IT world we live in, the 30% that don’t soon will. While this is good for the minds of these children, it can be damaging to their bodies.

Doctors of chiropractic are treating more young patients who are suffering as a result of their working at ill-conceived computer stations – ill-conceived because they are designed for adults, or because they are poorly designed for children. It is a shocking thought, but many children already suffer from repetitive motion injuries (RMI), also known as repetitive strain injuries (RSI). One such injury is the problematic carpal tunnel syndrome. Chronic pain in the hands, back, neck and shoulders are other symptoms related to bad ergonomics.

Researchers from Cornell University published a study revealing that 40% of the elementary school children under their scrutiny were using computer workstations that created a postural risk. The other 60% were found to be in the range that raised “some concern.”

It is not enough to teach children how to use computers; more emphasis has to be placed on teaching them how to properly use the actual workstations. These are the formative years for an individual, mentally, emotionally and physically. Poor work habits when young can lead to serious health effects that plague that person for the rest of their life. While parents know to watch out for signs of substance abuse in their children, few have any idea of the long-term health effects that can arise from postural problems.

What can you do?

Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to lessen the chances of your child suffering painful and potentially disabling injuries:

• Make sure that any workstation in the home that is shared by both adult and child can be modified according to the user.
• Check that the top of the computer monitor is set at a height at or below the child’s eye level. You may need to remove the monitor stand to do this, or alternatively raise the child’s sitting position in some way.
• Look at the workstation chair and ensure it is correct for the child. To stop slouching and for added back support, you can place an ergonomic back cushion, a pillow or a rolled-up towel in a position that corresponds with the small of the child’s back. Make sure that the gap between the front edge of the seat and the back of the knees is two inches. A good workstation chair should have arm supports that cause the elbows to rest at an angle between 70 to 135 degrees relative to the computer keyboard.
• Check that the wrists are held in a neutral position while typing, and not angled up or down. To ensure the child doesn’t have to hold their arm out away from their body, move the mouse mat close to the keyboard.
• Achieve a 90- to 120-degree angle for the child’s knees, if necessary by installing a foot rest, or perhaps a box or a small stool.
• Ensure there is adequate lighting to reduce eyestrain, and check the monitor is not reflecting any glare. Use a special antiglare screen if necessary.
• Do not allow your child to sit for uninterrupted hours at the computer. Limit their time, and enforce breaks during which they can stretch and move about. Have them perform the following stretches: clench the hands into fists and move them in 10 circles inward, followed by 10 circles outward; place hands in a praying position and squeeze together for 10 seconds, then point them downward and do the same squeezing for another 10 seconds; spread the fingers apart, then close them one at a time; stand and have them wrap their arms around the body, turning all the way round to the left, then all the way round to the right.
• Try to have your child drink four 8-ounce glasses of water every day so their muscles and all their bodily functions are adequately hydrated. This can help avoid injury. Juices and sodas etc. are not a suitable replacement for water.
• Suggest to your child’s school and PTA that the children are educated on proper computer ergonomics, and encourage the installation of ergonomically correct workstations at the school.

If you or your child continue to suffer from computer-related pain despite your best efforts to avoid it, your next stop should be a doctor of chiropractic to prevent the injury worsening and to promote healing.

As many as one in five American adults may have the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), an often-debilitating condition that can cause abdominal pain or cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea and constipation. Twice as many women as men have the condition.

There is a high incidence of IBS among those who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

There is no certain cause for IBS, and diagnosis is generally a matter of ruling out other, better-known illnesses. Tests, such as colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or CT scans, are performed to eliminate other conditions, some of which could be life-threatening. Because the cause is unclear, treatment focuses on relieving symptoms.

One suspected cause is stress – and antidepressants, counseling and meditation are among the remedies sometimes suggested. The central nervous system is a focus, because the walls of the intestines move digesting food through the digestive system through a motion of contracting and relaxing muscles. An overly fast cycle results in diarrhea, a slow motion results in constipation.

Groundbreaking approach to chronic ailments

The Neurologic Relief Centers team has developed a groundbreaking approach to relieving the symptoms of a number of debilitating, but little-understood conditions, including fibromyalgia and other chronic pains, irritable bowel syndrome and constant fatigue, anxiety and mood disorders.

The NRC believes many symptoms may be explained by compression of the meninges – the three-membrane protective sheath of the spinal cord and brain – by encroachment or twisting. This may be caused by accidents, trauma and even stress.

The pulling and irritation of nerve roots cause nerve fibers to fire irregular impulses to the brain, the NRC says. The brain may interpret these fired impulses as pain, itching, burning, coldness, numbness, or other odd feelings. It may also affect the nerve impulses controlling the digestive system, causing the symptoms typical of irritable bowel syndrome.

A free and non-intrusive test can determine the suitability of the patient for long-term treatment with the Neurologic Relief Centers Technique™. The test also provides immediate temporary relief for many patients.

About the Neurologic Relief Centers:

The Neurologic Relief Centers is a network of more than 200 affiliated doctors and offices that have been trained in the NRC Technique™ of relieving the chronic pain of a wide range of neurological disorders through a procedure to relieve compression of the meninges – the protective sheath surrounding the brain and central nervous system. To read and view video testimonials of the successes of patients who’ve experienced relief, and find the location of an NRCT™ specialist near you, visit our web site at http://nrc.md.