Spine and Health

Tag: Chiropractic

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Migraine – a neurological disease

According to the International istock_migraine2Headache Society, and as stated by Headache Australia, one can be classified as suffering from a migraine when over a period of 4-72hrs the following occurs (1):

Pain classification: (minimum of 2)
– one sided
– moderate to severe
– throbbing
– aggravated by movement

Concomitant symptoms: (minimum of 1)
– nausea
– vomiting
– photophobia (sensitivity to light)
– phonophobia (sensitivity to sound)
– osmophobia (sensitivity to smell)

More concomitant symptoms:
– aura (visual disturbances such as bright zigzag lines, flashing lights, difficulty in focusing or blind spots lasting 20-45 minutes)
– difficulty in concentrating, confusion
– a feeling of being generally extremely unwell
– problems with articulation or co-ordination
– diarrhoea
– stiffness of the neck and shouldes,
– tingling, pins and needles or numbness or even one-sided limb (1).

There are many different types of migraines and they are not entirely understood in the medical world. What is being discovered is that they are not all just exacerbated tension-type headaches. Migraines are a neurological disease that can involve the over-activity of the trigeminal nerve.

The trigeminal nerve is a cranial nerve, which has 3 branches to innervate the face (in general terms, one to cover the forehead area, one to cover the area across the nose and between the temples, and the last one to cover the lower jaw). All 3 branches of the trigeminal nerve are sensory but the 3rd is also involved in motor function. The mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve is responsible for the motor activity of the muscles of chewing, talking, and also for the tympanic membrane in the ear. If the trigeminal nerve is overactive or has pressure placed on it, it can cause migraines – huge facial pain, pain behind the eyes, temples and so on.

The current medical approach is to attempt to inhibit the trigeminal nerve with intense drugs or invasive surgical techniques. We as chiropractors view this as a last resort and believe that if your body is not in correct alignment then signals from your nervous system may not be communicated properly. Ie. If you have a full functioning nervous system then your body should be able to inhibit these signals itself. If you have poor posture then it is likely that your nervous system is not functioning as well as it could or should.

Current research shows that the chiropractic spinal adjustment can reset muscle behaviour patterns by sending signals to the brain via the nervous system (2). And by stimulating the nervous system the chiropractic adjustment can improve the function of the whole body (2).

If you suffer from migraines it is recommended that you visit your local chiropractor and have your posture assessed. The Spine and Health Chiropractors are the experts in pain and posture and have the ability to conduct a Digital Postural Analysis in their Crows Nest or North Sydney clinics. In doing so they will be able to establish if you have a postural issue that may be the cause of any pain you are feeling. Together you can construct an action plan to give you symptomatic migraine relief, improve your posture and overall well-being or try products such as the migraine stopper. To look better, move better, feel better contact the team today.

Crows Nest                Ph 9460 8459
North Sydney            Ph 9955 8055 

(1) Headache Australia
(2) Haavik Taylor H and Murphy B. (2007). World Federation of Chiropractic’s 9th Biennial Congress Award Winning Paper (3rd Prize): Altered sensorimotor integration with cervical spine manipulation. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, in press.

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Give Your Kids Good Posture

Do you remember your parents telling you to sit up straight and to stop slouching?

Well you were lucky if they did!

Good posture starts from before you are even born! The way that you are carried in the womb, the way you are held as a baby, and then progressively by the habits you form with the activities you undertake.

So why is our society in a slow decline to poor posture? We are forming bad habits from a young age and it carries though to adulthood. And don’t forget the daily mini-traumas that have more impact than you’d think!

If we adults suffer traumas (a bicycle crash, fall off a ladder, have a car accident etc.) we are checked out by our local chiropractor and supportive health professionals. So who don’t we do this for our children? Our kids are just finding their feet, learning the ways of the world, and they have accidents! They fall out of trees, fall off their bikes, get dunked by waves at the beach, and are swung around but their arms… Being a kid is full on! It is important to experience these mini traumas, but it is also important to make sure they have not affected your child’s posture.

Children are less physically active these days with the invention of the computer game, PlayStation and so forth. This means that our children sit on the school bus, sit at school, sit in front of the TV, sit in front of the computer. SIT, SIT SIT! Our kids are forming poor habits because we are allowing them to sit, and sit poorly, all the time!

We all know how important it is to have our work-station ergonomics set up to your ideal height as to alleviate the pressure on your adult spine, so why aren’t we doing it for our kids?

Tips for good posture.

– Make sure that your kids have good work-stations at home. Computers should be at eye level, feet firmly placed on the ground, and sit up straight!

– Minimize computer and TV time! It will not only help your kids’ posture, but will also improve your family connection.

– Be more physically active – Go to the park, run around, join a sporting team! An active spine is a healthy spine.

– Get your kids walk to school!

– NAG! We are giving you permission to nag! If your kids slouch, pull them up on it and make them aware of it. They might find it annoying now but they will thank you in the long run

Your local chiropractor at Spine and Health in Crows Nest and North Sydney are the experts in Pain and Posture.

The chiro’s here at Spine and Health can conduct a digital postural analysis of your children and discuss the results with you. If it is decided that chiropractic care can help your kids then a personalised treatment plan will be created. Your kids will receive gentle and effective adjustments that are designed for their level of development.

To ensure that your babies, kids, teenagers are on a path to good posture please call us today.

Your kids can look better, move better and feel better too.

Crows Nest                 Ph 9460 8459

North Sydney              Ph 9955 8055

 

 

 

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How Vitamin D helps your Bones

Here in Australia we have a love/hate relationship with the sun. We love the outdoors but it comes with its drawbacks – sunburn and unfortunately this could lead to skin cancers.

Ironically we have been told recently that we must spend time in the sunshine without sunscreen or protection! Why you ask?! For the health of our bones of course!

When our bare skin is exposed to sunshine we produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D and it’s relationship with calcium is possibly the most crucial factor affecting our bone density. These days with the harsh UV rays we are taught to cover up and slip slop slap, but what has been discovered is that it is actually affecting the strength of our bones and leading to diseases such as osteoporosis.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimated that 50% of females and 25% of males will suffer an osteoporotic fracture at some point in their lives (over the age of 50). Our bones are slowly but surely under constant regeneration through the mineralization of calcium (by vitamin D). And of course this process slows as we get older (peak is 25 years of age). It is no surprise then, with a lack of sun exposure, compounded with the physiological decline in regeneration of bone as we age, that so many women and some men suffer debilitating fractures.

So what are the recommendations?

In order to give your skin enough exposure to direct sunlight, allowing your body to produce it’s own Vitamin D and maintain/improve the density and thus strength of your bones:

Allow your skin to have (sun-cream free) complete exposure to the sunlight 3 times per week for 10-15 minutes per session.

As your local Spine and Health Chiropractors on the Lower North Shore we care for your health and especially your bones. Chiropractic care can diagnose, treat and prevent musculoskeletal disorders with an all-encompassing health and well-being approach.

The Chiro’s in Crows Nest and North Sydney,are experts in pain and posture and tailor treatment schedules to the individual. Techniques used and pressure applied is done so on a case-by-case scenario.

How can Chiropractic care help you with bone density issues?

We will help minimize your risks of fractures and alleviate pain by gently realigning you spine to its ideal posture. We can give health advice, teach you strengthening exercises, and help you to help the well-being of your spine.

So get out there and enjoy the sunshine responsibly, boost those Vitamin D levels, and improve the density of your bones!

To look better, move better and feel better please call us today:
Crows Nest             Ph 9460 8459
North Sydney              Ph 9955 8055