Archive for March, 2009
Monday, March 30th, 2009
What if I told you that over the last 15 years I have helped countless low back pain sufferers overcome their pain with a fast, natural, drug free therapy? In addition, that therapy is reasonably priced and covered by most insurance companies.
Of course I am writing about safe and effective chiropractic care.
At this point, some of you will be thinking “Chiropractic doesn’t work!” or “I wouldn’t go to one of those guys!”
I have heard all of these arguments in the past. I was even one of those people. I was raised in a semi anti chiropractic household.
My opinions changed after a car accident I was involved in back in 1984. After a mild fender bender, I slowly developed neck pain and stiffness. Before long that pain was “creeping” into my left shoulder and arm. I began to go to my primary physician at Kaiser for treatment. I followed his advice but nothing worked.
Early on in my treatment, I told my Kaiser doctor that my chiropractor uncle told me that I should see a local chiropractor. My Kaiser doctor dismissed that thought with some derogatory remark and told me to stick with his care - which I did.
Kaisers’ treatment was not helpful!
Eventually I saw a chiropractor who had my condition completely turned around in about 3 weeks. Mind you that the chiropractic care followed 5 months of pills and occasional physical therapy from Kaiser - that didn’t work.
My chiropractic treatment was so successful and actually enjoyable that I switched my college studies to pre-med and later attended Chiropractic College.
What does this have to do with low back pain you ask?
Everything.
Chiropractors are known for treating low back pain, it is what my profession is associated with. The reason that we are associated with low back pain treatment is because of my professions’ tremendous success rate with delivering fast, safe, natural, drug free back pain relief.
I recently read a study that indicated that the use of chiropractic care for low back pain relief is nearly 4000 times safer than using medications or other traditional western medicine inspired treatments.
Most cases of low back pain occur as a direct result of injury or dysfunction involving the joints and muscles of the low back. These are biomechanical problems that are not efficiently treated with medication (drugs). Biomechanical joint problems account for 80% of low back pain cases and usually worsen with age.
Chiropractic care and its use of specific joint adjustments is the logical and efficient treatment for biomechanical joint problems that are responsible for most cases of low back pain.
More Coming Soon
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Friday, March 27th, 2009
Being a Chiropractor in San Diego, my office provides treatment for many whiplash accident victims. One of the reasons for these accidents is wet weather driving. Since we don’t have rain throughout the year in this desert community, when it does rain, oil and debris that has been sting on the road all year long loosens resulting in a very slick driving surface.
Auto accidents are serious! You may not be aware that approximately 25% of all auto accident victims never make a full recovery. That could mean a lifetime of neck pain, low back pain, headaches, etc.
The best defense for accident prevention in wet weather is defensive driving. The following paragraphs were found on the National Safety Council website and specifically target safe wet weather driving techniques.
“Losing control of your car on wet pavement is a frightening experience. You can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully, especially on curves. Steer and brake with a light touch. When you need to stop or slow, do not brake hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid. Maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal.
If you do find yourself in a skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas, and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. For cars without anti-lock brakes, avoid using your brakes. This procedure, known as “steering into the skid,” will bring the back end of your car in line with the front. If your car has ABS, brake firmly as you steer into the skid.
While skids on wet pavement may be frightening, hydroplaning is completely nerve-wracking. Hydroplaning happens when the water in front of your tires builds up faster than your car’s weight can push it out of the way. The water pressure causes your car to rise up and slide on a thin layer of water between your tires and the road. At this point, your car can be completely out of contact with the road, and you are in danger of skidding or drifting out of your lane, or even off the road.
To avoid hydroplaning, keep your tires properly inflated, maintain good tread on your tires and replace them when necessary, slow down when roads are wet, and stay away from puddles. Try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you.
If you find yourself hydroplaning, do not brake or turn suddenly. This could throw your car into a skid. Ease your foot off the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again.
If you need to brake, do it gently with light pumping actions. If your car has anti-lock brakes, then brake normally; the car’s computer will mimic a pumping action, when necessary.
A defensive driver adjusts his or her speed to the wet road conditions in time to avoid having to use any of these measures. Reprinted with permission from the National Safety Council”
If you do happen to get into a fender bender, get to the chiropractor ASAP. From a statistical standpoint, the best way to avoid becoming one of the 25% of auto injury patients that never fully recover is to undergo an examination with a licensed chiropractor and follow up with any recommended treatment as soon as possible.
Drive Safe, More Coming Soon!
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
Are You A Runner?
I used to be. I ran all through high school, college and up to about six months ago. I was finally forced to stop because of ongoing ankle pain, knee pain, low back pain and sometimes even neck pain. I was pain free and healthy if I kept my running to grassy areas or on the beach. A serious lack of free time kept my runs on asphalt and concrete which finally took their toll. I have read that with each stride a 200 pound runner can generate over 2000 pounds of impact force through the legs and into the low back. I suppose that 30 years of running was all I could take.
Over the years, my San Diego Chiropractic Center has provided treatment for hundreds of people suffering from back pain, neck pain and leg pain that is easily attributed to their running habits. I have read in various journal articles that running becomes detrimental if your distance is greater than 15 miles per week or further than 3 miles per run. The conclusions that these articles drew to is that running beyond the guidelines previously mentioned does the joints more harm than the aerobic benefit of the exercise does your body good. It seems that these studies indict long distance running as an exercise of diminishing returns.
That being said, for those of you who do run, there is good news concerning the health benefits of running. Researchers reported in the July 2001 issue of American Journal of Public Health that men in their 30s who jog a minimum of ten times monthly develop a bone density that is at least 5 percent higher than that of men who jog less frequently.
The study analyzed answers to questions in a health survey of over 4,000 men, including 954 joggers and 3,300 who did not jog at all. The study included results of hip joint X-rays taken of each man to determine bone density. The researchers then compared the findings from joggers with results from non-joggers.
Dr. Michael E. Mussolino, a researcher at the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention office said the results showed that, “The men who were jogging nine times a month were doing much better than those who were jogging only one to eight times a month. Even those who jogged eight or fewer times a month had a higher bone density than those who did not jog at all.” He also noted that the study showed that it does not require marathon-like running to build strong bones.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 18 million are at risk of the disease. Eighty percent of these people are women. The NIH estimates that one out of every two women and one in eight men will break a bone as the result of osteoporosis within their lifetime. The report states that building dense strong bones in young adulthood is considered by experts to be an important factor in preventing osteoporosis.
The bottom line is this, if you are a runner, run smart. Keep your runs fairly short and off of hard surfaces. Running is like most other things in life. Running can be healthy but if you take it to an extreme it can become detrimental to your well being.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
I hear the patients of my San Diego based Chiropractic Clinic talk about digestive disorders and the effects of probiotics on a regular basis. This may surprise some of you who think that the only chiropractors deal with are neck pain, back pain and headaches.
Probiotics are the “good” bacteria that are similar to those found in the human digestive tract. With more and more frequency, probiotics are found in foods such as milkshakes, baby food, yogurts, smoothies, snack bars, cereals, baby formula and even chocolate. These foods carry labels of major companies like Dannon and Kraft.
The experts say that these probiotics are safe and probably helpful but more research is needed in order to fully understand the benefits of these nutrients. The fact that these experts even exist is a reflection of the growing understanding of the role that naturally occurring intestinal bacteria play in our health.
Adding to the health trend created by probiotics is the development of probiotics which contain fiber and other nutrients that feed probiotic bacteria. In 2007, more than 150 probiotic and prebiotic commercial food products were introduced into the U.S. market, compared with 100 in 2006 and just 40 in 2005.
Many probiotic products haven’t been put to a rigorous scientific test, but there is plenty of evidence that in large amounts, some kinds of “friendly” bacteria can be quite helpful.
Studies have shown that certain probiotics help treat or prevent some types of gastroenteritis, diarrhea and allergic skin reactions, and the probiotics are being investigated for many other ailments.
Just recently the National Institute of Health declared the study of gastrointestinal bacteria and probiotics a major research initiative.
Probiotics have been subject to studies all over the world.
A Canadian study published last month suggested that fermented milk containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casein could help prevent antibiotic-related diarrhea.
A study from Finland published this year found that an oat drink containing Bifidobacterium lactis bacteria helped bowel function in nursing home residents.
Scientists in Argentina are investigating whether milk fermented with lactic acid bacteria might reduce amounts of cancer-causing substances in the intestine.
University of California at Los Angeles researchers are looking at whether probiotic supplements can treat allergy-induced skin rashes in babies.
Israeli scientists are studying whether these supplements can improve complications in liver disease.
Probiotics are not a new concept. We have known for years that yogurt with acidophilus can help with digestive issues. These new ways of utilizing probiotics help emphasize the benefits of a wider range of foods.
More Coming Soon
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Monday, March 23rd, 2009
Have you ever injured your back and scratched your head and wondered - how did this happen when my back has felt fine up until now?
Patients present to my San Diego Chiropractic clinic on a regular basis with neck pain, back pain and other related symptoms that not only lack a history of pain in that area but also have no recent injury or accident to explain their current painful symptoms.
This is frustrating for the patient yet a typical presentation that I see in my Chiropractic office.
When patients come in for care with this type of history recent injury, my inquiries usually lead to a situation that involves excessive postural stress for that patient.
Ongoing postural stress affects our body much like the old analogy of the straws on the camels back. Our bodies are capable of compensating for quite a bit of stress before symptoms appear.
This is good and bad.
The good part of this situation is that if we didn’t compensate for all the little stresses that we are subjected to, we would be uncomfortable all the time. The bad part about compensation is that we often are not keen enough to recognize when our bodies are being exposed to ongoing low levels of stress.
Once the stress levels build to a certain point, the body part in question reacts with irritation, inflammation and muscle spasm. This combination produces pain and tightness and usually is the reason that patients call my office.
Postural stress can place an amazing amount of stress on your spine. One of my reference books has a chart that describes how different body positions affect the amount of pressure on your discs in the low back. The differences are amazing.
When standing straight up with ideal posture, the pressure in the discs of the low back is 100%. When lying flat on your back the pressure is at 24%. While sitting straight with good posture, the pressure is at 140% but when slouching forward with poor posture the disc pressure goes to a staggering 190%.
Considering that most of us sit for a good portion of the day, simply sitting becomes a significant source of stress for the lower back.
This kind of ongoing stress combined with an awkward twist or bend can generate a crisis for the low back leading the patient to wonder exactly how turning to pick that cup of coffee off the desk behind him / her lead to such a severe back pain and spasm.
Here’s To Your Health
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Friday, March 20th, 2009
You are on my last nerve!
When I was a kid my mom probably said that to me a hundred times. Now my patients in my San Diego chiropractic office complain of other types of nerve issues. Sometimes, pinched nerves accompany neck pain, back pain and headaches.
Pinched nerves always result in pain traveling down either an arm or a leg resulting in what is called radiating pain. Many patients come to my San Diego chiropractic office complaining of a pinched nerve but my exam reveals simple neck pain or back pain.
There are many causes of pinched nerves. One of the worst scenarios involves a herniated disc in the spine that is putting pressure on the nerve. Herniated discs don’t always mean that surgery is required but it usually results in stretched out, more intensive treatment plans.
One of the more common causes of pinched nerves results from irritated and inflamed joints in the spine. Poor lifting habits, awkward sleeping positions, poor posture and many other aggravating activities can inflame the ligamentous capsule that surrounds the joint. As the capsule swells, it cause local muscle spasm and can cause compression or pinching of the nerve.
Like I wrote earlier in the article, pinching of the nerve causes radiating pain that travels down the leg, into an arm, down the back or sometimes up to the back of the head. Either way, pinched nerves can make you absolutely miserable.
There are several things that you can do for a pinched nerve at home. To begin with, pinched nerves almost always involve inflammation and swelling. By applying ice packs to painful areas you can reduce the inflammation and relieve some of the pain. In addtion to ice pack use, you have to acknowledge and respect your pain. That means rest as much as you can - working through pain rarely works out well for the patient. Try your best to stay out of painful positions and don’t “test” it.
Chiropractic treatment is very effective at relieving the symptoms of a pinched nerve. Instead of masking the pain with drugs, chiropractic care improves the mechanics of the joint which helps relieve the pain and improve your range of motion.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
Have you been to a chiropractor lately? Have you ever been to a chiropractor?
Regardless of your answer to these questions, do you know what a chiropractor does?
I have been a practicing chiropractor in San Diego for the last 16 years. Helping people with neck pain, back pain, sciatica and headaches with chiropractic care is rewarding. As a profession, chiropractors only provide care to somewhere around 10% of our population. I have always wondered why this number is so low since patient satisfaction with chiropractic treatment is so much higher than it is with traditional medical care and that most independent research indicates that chiropractic care is more effective than western medicine for back pain.
Chiropractic care is an excellent , conservative treatment for many types of back injuries including those caused by auto accidents and various work injuries. That being the case, I have always thought that more people don’t seek out chiropractic care for their back and neck injuries because they don’t know what to expect with a chiropractic visit.
In this post, I am going to tell you exactly what procedures that our new patients go through at the time of their first visit.
Once a new patient comes to our office they are asked to fill out a brief informational health history that covers both past and current problems. After they are done with this form, I review the history to acquaint myself with current and past complaints that are relevant to the reason for the appointment.
With the history form reviewed, I take the patient to one of my exam / treatment rooms where I ask the patient to tell me more about their pain. During this time I also ask additional questions to help me get a good understanding of the patients’ concerns.
After I am satisfied with my understanding of the patients’ concerns and they have nothing else to add to the history, I perform an examination on the involved areas that includes range of motion tests, necessary orthopedic tests and neurological tests. Usually the information that I obtain from these tests is sufficient to allow me to make a decision regarding treatment.
If treatment is indicated, care usually involves therapy to relax the muscles followed by chiropractic adjustments to relieve the pain / dysfunction of the involved joints. Since many of our new patients have never been to a chiropractor before, I always ask the patients to help me keep all of our procedures within their “comfort zone”. I have always thought that this is very important since so many Americans are unfamiliar with manual type therapies.
The number of chiropractic visits varies person to person depending on the severity of the injury and each persons response to care.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Tags: Accident, Alternative Health, Arm, Arms, Auto Accident Personal Injury, Auto Injury, Back Ache, Back Injury, Back Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic San Diego, Chiropractor San Diego, Cryo-Therapy, Cumulative Trauma, Deformity, Ergonomic, Ergonomics, Headache, Herniated Disc, Inflammation, Knees hurt, Leg, Legs, Low-Back, Lumbar, Massage Therapy, Migraine Headaches, Muscle Therapy, Natural Healing, Natural Health Care, Neck Pain, Nerve Root Compression, Non Surgical, Non-surgical Health Alternative, Palmer College, Pinched Nerve, Pinched Nerves, Poor Posture, Post Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Posture, Radiculopathy, Relief from neck and backache pain, repetitive stress injury, San Diego Chiropractic, San Diego Chiropractor, Sciatic Nerve, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shoulder Hurts, Slipped Disk, Sore Muscles, Spinal Alignment, Spinal Misalignment, Spinal Stenosis, Spine, Stress Injury, Tennis Elbow, Treatment for Spinal Misalignment and Patients Sufferi, Ultrasound, Upper-Back, Vertebra, Work Injury, X-Ray
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Monday, March 16th, 2009
Dehydration is a common problem among adults. I have read studies that indicate that at any one time approximately 75% of American adults are suffering with mild symptoms that result from being dehydrated. Being a chiropractor in San Diego, a desert community, we see many people suffering from ailments ranging from neck pain and headaches to lower back pain with sciatica that all carry some link to dehydration.
The human body is approximately 65% water. By definition, dehydration occurs as the result of excessive loss of water from the body. This occurs as a direct result of not taking in enough water. That is a very superficial explanation of dehydration. In reality, it’s a bit more complicated than that since the body loses electrolytes as well as fluids.
Dehydration is a major issue with our health. A common scene in professional sports is that of the athletes becoming dehydrated and “cramping up”. This cramping of muscles affects us normal people as well. We suffer from back spasms and similar symptoms as a result of dehydration.
Another common symptom of dehydration is headaches. Dehydration has long been known to be a trigger of Migraine type headaches. Many people mistakenly think it occurs only in hot weather and that you’re not dehydrated if you’re not thirsty.
Dehydration Facts:
” It takes an average of 64 to 80 ounces to replace the water our bodies lose in 24 hours.
” Under normal circumstances, how much water we need depends a great deal on the volume of our perspiration and urine output.
” Our bodies’ need for water increases under circumstances such as:
” warmer weather or climate
” living at high altitudes
” increased physical activity
” when experiencing vomiting or diarrhea
” when fevered
” when you have a cold or the flu
” if you have a chronic disease such as uncontrolled or untreated diabetes, kidney disease, alcoholism, cystic fibrosis, or adrenal disorders,
” if you are taking some medications. Always check your prescription information.
” during long air flights
” Losing as little as 1 to 2% of body weight can result in dehydration.
” Losing 3 to 5% can negatively impact reaction time, concentration and judgment
” Losing 9 - 15% results in severe dehydration and is life-threatening.
Dehydration Symptoms:
” Excessive thirst
” Fatigue
” Muscle weakness
” Headache (or, in the case of Migraineurs, Migraine)
” Dizziness
” Less frequent need to urinate and decreased output
” Darker colored urine (should be nearly clear to pale yellow)
” Confusion
” Increased heart rate and respirations
” Skin that doesn’t snap back when pinched and released
” Children may exhibit additional symptoms:
” Absence of tears when crying
” No wet diaper for three hours or longer
” Irritability
” Lethargy
” Fever
When caught early, dehydration can usually be treated at home. Common treatments include:
” Mild dehydration: rehydration by drinking fluids including sports drinks, which rehydrate by providing not only fluid, but also electrolytes and salt. In children, products such as Pedialyte may be recommended as it also contains carbohydrates to help absorption in the intestinal tract. Coffee, tea, and soda should not be used for dehydration as the caffeine in them can actually be dehydrating.
” Moderate dehydration: rehydration may suffice, but IV fluids may be required.
” Severe dehydration: Immediate action must be taken, treating the situation as a medical emergency. Hospital treatment is necessary for IV fluids to rehydrate more quickly and efficiently and to allow observation.
As with most ailments, it’s better to prevent dehydration than to treat it. Here are some preventative steps you can take:
” Drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water. Fruit contains the most water, followed by vegetables, meat, then grains with the least.
” Choose your beverages wisely. Caffeine and alcohol can be dehydrating. For some people, too much fruit juice can cause diarrhea, which can be dehydrating.
” If you’re planning a day with more significantly exercise than usual, begin hydrating the day before.
” Sports drinks can help maintain electrolyte balance, but be aware of the sugars in them.
” Plan outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day.
” If you’re organizing outdoor activities, provide shaded areas.
” When you’re ill, be sure to continue drinking fluids, and get additional fluids if you have a fever or are vomiting or have diarrhea. Call your doctor for help with vomiting or diarrhea if necessary.
Yours In Good Health
Dr. Jones
San Diego Chiropractic Care
Chiropractor San Diego Blog
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractor
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Tags: Nutrition
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Friday, March 13th, 2009
Over the years, my San Diego Chiropractic Center has provided treatment for hundreds of people suffering from back pain, neck pain and leg pain that is easily attributed to their running habits.
I have read countless times in various journal articles that running becomes detrimental if your distance is greater than 15 miles per week or further than 3 miles per run. The conclusions that these articles drew to is that running beyond the guidelines previously mentioned does the joints more harm than the aerobic benefit of the exercise does your body good. It seems that these studies indict long distance running as an exercise of diminishing returns.
That being said, for those of you who do run, there is good news concerning the health benefits of running. Researchers reported in the July 2001 issue of American Journal of Public Health that men in their 30s who jog a minimum of ten times monthly develop a bone density that is at least 5 percent higher than that of men who jog less frequently.
The study analyzed answers to questions in a health survey of over 4,000 men, including 954 joggers and 3,300 who did not jog at all. The study included results of hip joint X-rays taken of each man to determine bone density. The researchers then compared the findings from joggers with results from non-joggers.
Dr. Michael E. Mussolino, a researcher at the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention office said the results showed that, “The men who were jogging nine times a month were doing much better than those who were jogging only one to eight times a month. Even those who jogged eight or fewer times a month had a higher bone density than those who did not jog at all.” He also noted that the study showed that it does not require marathon-like running to build strong bones.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 18 million are at risk of the disease. Eighty percent of these people are women. The NIH estimates that one out of every two women and one in eight men will break a bone as the result of osteoporosis within their lifetime. The report states that building dense strong bones in young adulthood is considered by experts to be an important factor in preventing osteoporosis.
Yours In Good Health
Dr. Jones
San Diego Chiropractic Care
Chiropractor San Diego Blog
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractor
Car Accident Whiplash Injuries Pain Relief
Back Pain Relief & Treatment
Work Injury & Workplace Safety Advice
Web Design Hillcrest - San Diego - California
Prenatal Health & Pain Relief
Tags: Natural Health Care, Sport Injury, Sporting Injueies
Posted in Chiropractor San Diego, Natural Health Care | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
What if I told you that I sold a vitamin that would fix all that ails you?
This vitamin would do everything from grow hair on your head to clearing your heart of plaque build-up to restore your joints to those of a 20 year old!
As a chiropractor in San Diego, I am exposed to many myths regarding our nutrition and our health and the things that we can do to preserve it. Indeed we treat many patients for neck pain, back pain, headaches, and sciatica. That being stated, our patients’ nutritional needs are never overlooked.
The problem that we encounter when discussing nutrition involves patient participation. I have found that our patients have good intentions when it comes to nutrition but those good intentions are often negated by poor planning.
I found a list of the top ten nutrition myths on Healthcastle.com that I thought was both interesting and relevant.
I have heard all of these myths from my patients over the years. Good nutrition has to start with good information. This is a start.
1. Sugar Causes Diabetes. The most common nutrition myth is probably that sugar causes diabetes. However, if you do not have diabetes, sugar intake will not cause you to develop the disease. The main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are a diet high in calories, being overweight, and an inactive lifestyle.
2. All Fats are bad. It’s a long-held nutrition myth that all fats are bad. But the fact is, we all need fat. Fats aid nutrient absorption and nerve transmission, and they help to maintain cell membrane integrity - to name just a few of their useful purposes. However, when consumed in excessive amounts, fats contribute to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancers.
3. Brown Sugar is better than White Sugar. The brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. Yes, brown sugar contains minute amounts of minerals. But unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely insignificant.
4. Brown Eggs are more nutritious than White Eggs
Contrary to a widely believed nutrition myth, eggshell color has nothing to do with the quality, flavor, nutritive value, cooking characteristics, or shell thickness of an egg. The eggshell color only depends upon the breed of the hen.
5. Avoid seafood to lower blood cholesterol. I still can’t believe it, but I heard this nutrition myth from my own doctor! In fact, the dietary cholesterol found in seafood and other meats has little effect on blood cholesterol in most people. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most important factors that raise blood cholesterol.
6. Avoid carbohydrate to lose weight. The key message that many low-carb diets convey is that carbohydrates promote insulin production, which in turn results in weight gain. Therefore by reducing carbohydrate intake, you can lose weight. Unfortunately, this is just another nutrition myth.
The truth is that low-carb diets are also often calorie-restricted! Followers only eat an average of 1000 - 1400 calories daily, compared to an average intake of 1800 - 2200 calories for most people. To lose one pound a week, you only need to eat 500 fewer calories per day in your normal diet. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you eat a high- or low-carb diet, you will lose weight if you decrease your caloric intake to less than needed to maintain your weight.
7. Avoid nuts as they are fattening. Yes, it’s true that nuts are quite calorically dense. But if you can restrain yourself from overeating them, nuts can be a part of a healthy diet.
It’s a nutrition myth that nuts should be avoided. In fact, nuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (the good fats) as well as plant sterols, all of which have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
8. Eating for 2 is necessary during pregnancy. Energy requirements vary among individuals. Unfortunately, the idea that pregnancy is an ice cream free-for-all is a nutrition myth. An extra snack before bedtime is often enough.
9. Skipping meals can help lose weight. Many people think that by skipping a meal, they will be eating less food and therefore lose weight. As we now know, this is a nutrition myth. People who think skipping meals means weight loss do not understand how our bodies work.
If you skip a meal, your body will think that you are in starvation mode and therefore slow down the metabolism to compensate. You then tend to overeat at the next meal.
10. Red meat is bad for health. I often hear people saying that they do not eat red meat. When I ask why they don’t, or even what they consider to be red meat, the answers vary dramatically.
It is true that some studies have linked red meat with increased risk of heart disease, partly due to the saturated fat content. In fact, even chicken can contain as much saturated fat as lean cuts of beef or pork. For instance, a serving of sirloin beef or pork tenderloin has less saturated fats than the same serving size of chicken thigh with skin. It is true that poultry like chicken and turkey is naturally lower in saturated fats. But it is only true if you don’t eat the skin.
Yours In Good Health
Dr. Jones
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