Category: Chiropractic

206 Bones- Things you didn’t know about your skeleton!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic

As a chiropractor, my life revolves around the skeleton, the muscles, and the way that the human body moves. Both in school and afterward I have learned some fun facts about the human skeleton that I would love to share!

Skeleton

A newborn baby has roughly 300 bones, while the adult has only 206

How cool is it that our skeletons change so much as we grow up?! Bones fuse together as we age AND new bones are formed (like your kneecap) when little ones start to crawl.

The bones of your skull actually have joints with one another

skull-31060These joints move when you breath, chew, and with the movement of your cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that bathes the brain). This means that, as a chiropractor, I often work with the bones of the skull to influence sinuses and help people with migraines.

Babies with plagiocephaly (bulges or flat spots on their skulls) also benefit from chiropractic work with the skull!

The smallest bone in your body is located within the hardest bone!

The smallest bone in your body, the stapes, is shaped like a stirrup and is a bone that helps you hear. It is so small and delicate that it needsgiraffe a lot of protection. It is located in the most dense and strongest part of the temporal bone in the skull.

You have the same number of bones in your neck as a giraffe

Giraffes and humans both have 7 cervical bones in their necks. They are just very differently shaped! A giraffe’s neck is so long that it cannot cough like a human can because its lungs and epiglottis are too far apart to coordinate.

The hyoid bone is the only bone not connected to another bone by a joint

This bone is a delicate horse shoe shape and it sits in front of your neck. Many muscles connect to the hyoid bone, but it is not shown on most plastic skeletons.

Your femur, or thigh bone is the longest bone in your body

It is also one of the strongest bones of the body. This is because it supports our body weight in running and jumping.

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There are 54 bones in each of your hands

This means that 108 of your 206 bones are contained in just 2 body parts! As a chiropractor, working on the wrists, elbows, and neck can help relieve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Do you have a fun fact about the skeleton that you would love to share? 

Comment below and let us know what you think!

Overcoming the “Gross” in Gross Anatomy

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health

back-pain-1491801_1920This blog comes from a speech I recently gave.

I am passionate about anatomy and feel that it is an amazing and integral part of my practice. Each time that I work with a patient, I use the amazing skills that I gained working in the anatomy lab. I feel there was no better way for me to learn about the human body.

Enjoy!

On my first day of dissection for Gross Anatomy, I had no idea what to expect. I came to class prepared with gloves, dissection kit, lab coat, instructions, and a ton of anxiety.

I got to class about 15 minutes before my lab group so that I could see how I reacted in private. I opened the double doors and entered the lab full of cadavers in rank and file on metal tables. The smell of formalin and antifreeze assaulted my nose and I walked through the room to my assigned body. I pulled back the plastic and muslin, gagged once, and began my dissection.

I had no idea that first day how important that lab would become to my life.

Class by class, I learned more and more about the human body and uncovered its secrets. Soon the weirdness faded and the magic took over. I spent hours in the lab outside of class studying and teaching my fellow classmates. The anatomy lab woke me up and I found a new passion. Did you know that you have a tiny pulley system in your eye? Or that you have a pressure and chemical receptor in your neck? These facts and many more bring to light the incredibly intelligent design of the human body. I was hooked.

After completing my coursework in Anatomy, I took a job working as a professional dissector in the lab- dissecting the teaching body one step ahead of the class. I took up anatomical drawing. I loved integrating my anatomy with my chiropractic and adjusting skills. Even today, when I lay my hands on a patient, I can see the anatomy beneath my hands, guiding my touch and fine tuning my patient care.

Through tutoring I got to share my passion for anatomy with other students and pass along knowledge in a way that makes it come alive. From the student struggling in class, to those wanting a review before taking board exams, teaching others forced me to be better than average and hone my skills. I even became a guide for “Tours of the Body”- a program where nursing students, massage therapy students, and even future barbers are given the opportunity to visit the cadaver lab and bring book learning to life. In the anatomy lab, I found my home in chiropractic school and a lifelong obsession.skull-778073_1920

During the three and a half years that I worked in the anatomy lab, I worked on upwards of 30 cadavers and- as cliché as it sounds- we are all unique and individual snowflakes. Nerves take paths that aren’t in the books, we find muscles that aren’t supposed to be there or search in vain for a blood vessel that doesn’t exist in that body. Some of these are so common they are considered a normal abnormality. This is much to the chagrin of the studying anatomist… For example, in about 17% of the population the sciatic nerve, the large nerve that travels from your pelvis all the way to your big toe, pierces a muscle instead of diving underneath. If that muscle spasms… presto! Sciatica. In addition, new anatomical findings are still being made. While I was in school, a fellow prosector made an anatomical discovery that is now published in scholarly journals and in the new Gray’s Anatomy (no, not the TV show).

Dissection is an art form- much like sculpture. Its goal is to uncover and reveal the structures of the body hidden away beneath skin and tissue. These bones, organs, and muscles tell the story of a life. What kind of work did this person do? Did they smoke? Have children? Work with their hands? Through patient study, Gross anatomy becomes less gross. It becomes fascinating. While not everyone has access to an anatomy lab, I feel that it was one of the most important experiences of my education and I will take its lessons with me always.

Do you have anatomy questions? Comment below or email at seedoflifechiro@gmail.com

Sitting Too Much is Ruining Your Health (and Spine)

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health, Movement

computer-15812_1920

How many hours do you sit each day?

How many days a week do you sit?

Do you ever sit for a period upwards of 11 hours in a day?

 

These are very important questions to ask yourself. As I sit here writing this blog, I am aware that I, myself have been sitting for the past hour researching statistics for this very article… with my posture suffering as minutes tick by.

In some sense, we all know that we shouldn’t sit too long. That prolonged sitting is detrimental to our health. What most of us don’t realize is that it is probably worse for us than we think…

According to Web MD, sitting too much is linked to worsened mental health as well as increased risk of heart disease and disability. Why? No one seems quite sure. What we do know is that the most detrimental data came from a study looking at women who sit for over 11 hours per day.

What’s worse is that it does not appear that your morning walk or jog is enough to combat your 8+ hours of sitting each day. These activities appear to be mutually exclusive. By no means should you stop your regular workout, but this does suggest that- as a society- we need to change how we function. We need to sit less and move more. Revolutionary!

Another study even suggests that sitting is harmful to our children. This study looked at sitting times of only 3 hours. It demonstrated a marked negative change in the blood flow through the arteries of the group that did not move out of chairs for a full 3 hours. However, the group that rode a bicycle (gently) for 10 minutes out of each hour had no change.

text-neck

How often do your kids sit for long periods? School has them seated for 8+ hours each day which is not even counting video game or TV time in the evenings. Our society asks kids to sit still and pay attention. We tend to squash the wiggles right out of them by the time they are in the first grade.

Maybe this is why kids are wiggly, naturally?! Maybe we are meant to move around a lot more than we do! Movement pumps our blood back to the heart through our veins. Movement causes positive changes in our cardiovascular health. Movement keeps our joints lubricated and healthy! Movement keeps us alive and healthy.

And guess what else comes along with too much sitting? Back pain!

Our spines are made with gentle curves that support our weight and absorb shock. When we sit, we often curve our spines into a C- shape, rounding the low back, hunching the shoulders, and thrusting the head forward.

We are simply  not built for this. These abnormal stresses on the spine overwork our muscles and can cause a lot of damage to our spines. They are often accompanied by low back pain and headaches!

Proper sitting, ie: sitting on the sit bones and tall through the spine, is far less detrimental to the spine and is difficult to maintain for long periods- necessitating movement.

I feel like I am sounding a bit repetitive, but movement is what we are made for. So… here are some tips to help you to improve your health, sit less, and MOVE MORE.

  • Use a standing desk– Your posture will automatically  be better and you are more likely to move about the office. It is also easy to incorporate simple exercises like heel raises, toe taps, glute squeezes, etc into your day when you are standing at work.
  • Be conscious of your posture– I sometimes place a ball between my middle back and the back of my chair. If the ball moves, I am slouching and probably need to get up and move about.
  • Set movement reminders– If you have a tendency to get locked into a task, try setting an alarm on your phone or computer that reminds you to get up and walk a bit. Remember, the study in young girls found that moving 10 minutes out of each hour made a dramatic change in their vascular condition.
  • Try sitting on an exercise ball– It is really hard to slouch on an exercise ball. Plus, your core will remain engaged and you can perform exercises like pelvic tilts while sitting at your desk.

Now, get out there and move! Remember that regular care for your spine includes an evaluation by a Doctor of Chiropractic as well as movement and good posture. Are you worried about your posture? What about your kids? Stay tuned for my next blog about posture- How to tell if you have good posture and what to do about it!

Get Your Flu Adjustment Here!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health

woman-698943Flu season is generally considered to be present from October-February. Many of us have experienced that we are more likely to “catch” a cold during this time of year. Signs pop up for you to “Get Your Flu Shot Here”. (For more info about the flu shot click here).

But why?

Flu and cold viruses are no more prevalent in the environment in the winter months… so why do we get sick!?

During the winter, our lifestyle drastically changes. We are enclosed with more people in work/school and are outdoors less. This also means that our Vitamin D levels are probably low because we aren’t getting as much sun exposure. Vitamin D plays a role in immune system function as well as mood and Seasonal Affect Disorder.

cookie-1792259

It’s also no secret that stress levels rise in the holiday season with travel, family, and increased demands on our time. The holidays are also a time of increased sugar consumption. A study performed by Loma Linda University in 1973 found that 100g of sugar correlates with white blood cells being 40% less effective at killing germs for up to 5 hours.

These factors and many more mean that we are far more susceptible to colds and flu.

Don’t. Panic.

There are simple steps you can take to boost your immune system and protect yourself during the winter (and year round).

  1. Get Your Flu Adjustment Here!

patient-adjustmentThe nervous system and, therefore, spine have a tremendous influence on the function of the immune system. In fact, one study demonstrates that Fighter T Cells work better for 24-48 hours after an adjustment for a review of literature click here.

This means that getting adjusted regularly can help keep your immune system in top shape.BUT it also means that when you are sick, an adjustment can speed your recovery.

2. Monitor Your Sugar Intake

cake-727870It is recommended that women consume no more than 28g of added sugar, daily. By cutting sugary drinks, like pop and sports drinks, and keeping an eye on your cookie and dessert consumption you can improve your overall health and keep yourself from getting sick. If you want to learn more about sugar, join our book club which is reading Sugar Nation this January.

3. Get Your Vitamin D Levels Checked!

Vitamin D is essential for many bodily processes. Living far North of the equator, many of us are deficient in Vitamin D year round- and our levels plummet in the winter months. I love Biotics Vitamin D drops for easy and safe supplementation for both children and adults.

Is there a topic you would like to see me discuss?

What are your favorite ways to keep your immune system boosted?

Comment below!

New Year, New You- What about your personal health?

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health

If you haven’t done it yet, now is the time to plan out your 2017 goals.

new-years-eve-1283521_1920

And not just make a resolution. That isn’t enough. According to Forbes, only 8% of people actually keep their New Year’s Resolution.

Why is this? In my opinion, people make lofty goals without a lot of planning behind them. It is easy to say that you are going to take off 5 pounds or 50 this year, but what are the action steps?

I have a few ideas on how to be one of the 8%. The past couple of years I have employed several tools to help me make goals and keep them.

  • Use a planner! I use the Passion Planner and have for the past 2 years. I just got my 2017 one and am excited to use the tools within it to map out my 2017 successes.
    • One great thing about this planner is that the website has printable pages. If you have a planner you love and just want strategy sheets, you can print them out and use them
    • I also love how this planner has you do a monthly reflection that checks back in with your goals to see how you are doing
  • Reflect on your past year before making your goals.
    • I am using this format to reflect on 2016 as well as the tools within my Passion Planner
    • Take some time and get quiet and real with yourself about how 2016 was for you as a year.
  • Dream Big and make an action plan
    • I have a running list of “I Wants”
      • These aren’t things that are material so much as what do I want for myself, my business, my family, my relationships, etc
      • Whenever I am feeling stuck, I come back to What Do I Want? and get clear on that
    • A list only does you good if you plan how to achieve these things (circle back to the Passion Planner)
  • Make yourself a priority.
    • You cannot pour from an empty cup, so what will fulfill you?
  • Be well rounded
    • I am a little biased (being in the healthcare field) and feel like health is a major priority, but it is really easy to focus on weight, energy, etc and forget that health is multifaceted. Below are just a few aspects.
      • Physical
        • I can tell you one thing for certain, Chiropractic can make a huge difference in your physical health… It has turned my life around and allowed me to be a healthier, happier person that is evolving each year. This year I am healthier than ever before. My health strategy has shifted and changed along with my priorities and, year by year, I am finding out more about myself and my needs.
      • Emotional
        • What feeds your soul?
        • What is congruent with what you need in your life to be fulfilled?
      • Social
        • How can you improve your relationships with family, friends, coworkers, and MOST IMPORTANTLY yourself?

How can I help you with these things? Please fill out the form below if you would like my assistance with your health goals.

 

 

 

 

Your knee pain may not be knee pain.

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health, Movement

One of the most valuable things I use in my chiropractic exam is functional screening, which is looking at how the body’s joints move. It gives me insight into patterns of motion that can result in pain and dysfunction. For example, the knee is particularly vulnerable to altered biomechanics in other parts of the body.

The knee is, most basically, a hinge.

Because of this, it is significantly affected by the biomechanics of the hip, pelvis, and ankle/foot. Joint restrictions and/or muscular imbalances in these areas are incredibly common from everyday activities like sitting, improper footwear, or repetetive activities. The patterns that we create in our everyday life change the way our joints move and can cause stress in joints and tissues that are farther away.

For example, when the gluteus medius muscle is weak or inhibited (not firing when or how we want it to), it does not properly compress the hip joint. This causes the thigh bone, or femur, to change its angle, resulting in increased pressure on the inner part of the knee joint. The medial/inside part of the knee is usually the first place that arthritis shows up on x-ray of the knee. Slight narrowing of the joint (inside the circle below) is the first physical indicator that the knee is under stress.

knee-xray

Clinically, knee issues show up as pain! Remember, knee pain may not be a problem with the knee!

As a chiropractor, I evaluate to see which muscles or joints are impacting the function of the knee and work with you to strengthen or stretch them appropriately. Many times it is the gluteus medius, but can also be a number of other muscles or tissues.

When it comes to aches and pains, it is important to have a professional evaluate your mechanics for you- you cannot appropriately assess yourself. Only when you know what the true problem is, can you correct it with exercises, stretches, and joint manipulation. Otherwise you can create new problems!

I am a prime example of this. When I was working on my internship to complete my Masters in Sport Science and Rehabilitation, I spent many hours each week in a PT clinic helping to evaluate patients and work with them on their exercises. Thinking that I was helping myself, I did all of the exercises with the patients. In 4 months, I had increased my knee pain, given myself plantar fascitis, and irritated my pelvic joints. Not all of those exercises were appropriate for my body and its previous sports injuries. It took being evaluated for my own movement patterns and months of diligent corrective exercises to undo what I thought was going to help me.

Understanding how your body works and starting from a basic analysis can help to diagnose problem areas and correct problems before they begin. Pain is a warning sign that something is not right within the body. Before you cover it up or dismiss your pain, get assessed and see what can be done to strengthen and support your body.

References:

SBR Sport

Dr. Dooley Noted

 

3 Chiropractic Myths- Busted!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health

There are a lot of misconceptions about chiropractic care and chiropractors floating around… Today, I am going to tackle 3 of the Chiropractic Myths I hear most often:

Once you go to a chiropractor, you have to go FOREVER.

patient-adjustment

Most people seek out chiropractic care when they are in a lot of pain or have an issue they would like to resolve. Chiropractors are fantastic at taking care of low back pain, headaches, whiplash associated disorder, thoracic outlet syndrome, etc. Usually, these conditions can be taken care of with a single treatment plan combined with exercises, chiropractic adjustments, and nutrition.

But what happens then?

Once you have seen a chiropractor, you become more aware of your body and how it moves. Often, the condition that brings people into the chiropractor have been a long time coming and they don’t even remember what it’s like to truly feel good.When things are moving well, you are feeling great. This is a common awareness in chiropractic patients. These patients progress from acute care- where we target a major condition or problem- to corrective care.

Corrective care focuses on helping to identify, target, and eliminate movement patterns or postures that were behind the low back pain or headaches. This type of care can take a bit of time to work through, depending on how diligent home exercises are performed and how long the problem has been going on.

Following this, some patients elect to continue seeing their chiropractor periodically to prevent future issues and to be checked for wellness. This is the part where people tend to say that you go FOREVER. However, as humans, we are very complex machines that come into contact with all kinds of challenges from long flights, to tech neck from working on computers, to falls and athletic injuries. Many people choose to get checked periodically to ensure that they are doing well and have nothing brewing underneath the surface. But this is their choice!

Chiropractors aren’t REAL doctors.

Chiropractors undergo graduate education to achieve the degree Doctor of Chiropractic (DC). While chiropractors do not treat patients using drugs or surgery, our education is comparable to that of Medical Doctors (MD). In fact, our core studies are just about the same! Click here for a breakdown of the course requirements for DC vs MD students.

Chiropractors are trained in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, clinical diagnosis, etc; however, our training in treatment involves learning how to adjust the spine and other joints of the body, work with soft tissues, and implement clinical nutrition.

One thing that I feel it is important to emphasize is that chiropractors are especially well trained in recognizing when pain is not coming from the joints or the spine, but from another area. For example, sometimes right shoulder blade pain is referred from a hot gallbladder. In this case, the patient is often referred to an MD, DO, or ND for further evaluation and intervention. This is especially important because many common organ conditions cause back pain, causing people to seek chiropractic care.

In conclusion, Chiropractors are REAL doctors, just not medical doctors 🙂

Chiropractic Adjustments HURT

As I mentioned above, many times pain is the main driver that causes someone to seek out chiropractic care. If you have ever had back pain, you understand that sometimes it is painful to even have your clothes touch the area that is injured. It is understandable, then, that a chiropractic adjustment may be uncomfortable in that area.

However, an adjustment is not, generally painful. I have made a point, in my education, to learn many techniques. This includes one  that uses less pressure than you would be comfortable with on your own eyelid (Did you just push on your eyelid?) as well as instrument adjusting.

When a patient is in pain, I work to make my adjustment as comfortable as possible- sometimes using cold or heat to relax the area before adjusting.

Most patients report mild to no discomfort throughout their adjustments- in fact the majority experience a sense of relief almost immediately.

What is something that you have heard about chiropractic care?

Stay tuned for more Myth-Busting about Chiropractic care!