What can be done for Migraines?

This question was asked yesterday by a fellow Facebook-er.

Migraines for all intensive purposes is a head ache. It can take on many different forms, duration, intensity and have different triggers. It is the cause of dilated blood vessels around the meninges of the brain. Something has caused the internal environment of the skull to change. Hormonal, tension/stress, muscle spasm, allergy/biochemical changes, etc.

What can we do for them?
Take a history. Listen and deduct probable cause and relations for your specific issue. Examine the neck and head and look for Subluxations (areas within your spine that are not moving correctly, which then create compensatory muscle spasm and inflammation), and Adjust the spine to improve the motion and let the body heal itself. Re-evaluate the following day and see what changes have occurred and what things you have changed since our first meeting to reduce or help the cause.

One additional technique that I have started using 6 years ago is KST.
It is a gentle cranial adjustment used with an instrument. I am reducing people’s migraines almost instantaneously from an 8/10 to a 2/10 on a pain-scale with the treatment, literally within 2 minutes. I have a 95% success rate. It is amazing!!!

Thanks for the great question. If anyone suffers from this ailment, please come and see me or share the info with a friend and see for yourself.

Dr. John

What’s Better: Ice or Heat?

When it comes to injuries or pain what modality is appropriate?
You can never go wrong with ice. Ice has more forgivance when compared to using heat. Ice work to reduce inflammation by causing vasoconstriction. Ice also inhibits pain. Heat on the other hand has added benefits and one side effect. Heat reduces inflammation by causing vasodilation which causes the area to be flushed out. It inhibits pain and even causes muscle relaxation. The problem with heat is that if you use it longer than 20 minutes it will cause swelling.

So general rule, heat and ice both do the same things. Heat has extra benefits of muscle relaxation. But do not use it longer than 20 minutes.

Thanks for reading and please pass it on!

Kid’s and Sports

As a child growing up we played a variety of sports and worked as high school students in the summer and workout for our sports at night. However, today’s athletes starting at age 6 are playing year round sports. For some sports like baseball, volleyball, hockey, tennis, basketball, cheerleading, and gymnastics, these are year round sports.

Here is the problem with young athletes. They are developing in bone, ligament, tendon, muscle and mentally through these years. There is now tending statistical data showing high incidences of kids having adult like injuries (ACL tears, tendon ruptures, fractures, ligament damage, tendonitis and bursitis). These injures are the result of overuse.

Kids playing multiple sports is a good thing. It increase the child’s athletic abilities. More importantly allows the child’s body and joints to have different stressors, forces being applied to different areas allowing healing to occur in overused regions.

Children nowadays are loaded with homework, practices, and other responsibilities. This can also be mentally fatiguing to the child. Think about giving your child a break in the off season so that they can grow, heal , and mentally chill out a bit and just be a kid. Plus the less demand on the family dynamic will be felt as well.

Just food for thought.

Dr. John

What is that “Cracking Noise” during an adjustment?

The audible noise that you hear when you adjust your spine or your extremities comes from a gas release between the joints. A natural “suction or vacuum” is created between all joints when they shear out of their natural alignment and compress together. Then you get adjusted you gap the joint, releasing the suction, and you hear and feel the “pop”.

There are correct ways to adjust the spine and the extremities and incorrect ways to manipulate these areas. Leave the work to be done by a trusted Chiropractor. In other words, “Don’t try this at home kids,” unless instructed by your Chiropractor.

Health is an Expression of Effort

Health is something that is derived from our activities.
It is purely individualized and a direct relationship to what environment we put our bodies in. Just live any ecosystem that we have in nature. How we move, What we think, What we eat, How much sleep we get. Those are choice we make. Don’t take your health for granted. The Aging Process is multi-factorial that is a result of the above mentioned choices. Make poor choices you age more rapidly. Make more proper choices and age more gracefully.

I want everyone to imagine that you are carrying (2) 5-gallon buckets. For every incongruent choice that we make; not enough water, stress, medication, poor diet, not enough sleep, bad relationships, etc., ADD A FIST SIZE ROCK IN YOUR BUCKET. Rocks will always get entered into our buckets every day, we cannot escape it. Its our challenges, its life. By the end of the day those buckets can get very heavy. imagine carrying that. How it stresses your body, tires you out. You are aging more rapidly.

Your goal everyday… should be to make Congruent/Healthy choices which would REMOVE A ROCK FROM THE BUCKET; to lighten the load. Thus reducing the aging process, increase your health, reduce your stress, improve your relationships, improve your self-esteem, etc. Examples of this are: drink more water, eat fresh fruit and veggies, do something for yourself, walk, exercise, do 10 push-ups, laugh more often, breathe deeply, meditate, eat more often, take supplements. Get the idea.

Only you create health or disease.
Doctors deal with the crisis you create.
Only you are in control of how your body will EXPRESS ITS HEALTH.
START TODAY, TREAT YOUR BODY WITH RESPECT, BECAUSE IT IS YOUR VEHICLE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Dr. John

General Health 101: Measles, Mumps, Flu and Other Things to Consider

This is an informational piece that everyone should read. This is not a debate of right or wrong, but one of common sense thinking. Remember first and foremost, Measles and Mumps are viruses. Most adults today that were children in the 50, 60, and 70’s had contracted Measles and the Mumps and are just fine today. Just like the flu, Chicken Pox, and the common cold. All Viruses are within the air and surrounding us every second of the day. Viruses have never been eradicated and never will be. It does not matter if you are vaccinated or unvaccinated, you are surrounded with these daily in our air.

We do not become overrun by viruses and become infected. We become ill because our immune system is not responding optimally and we are left vulnerable. Pure and Simple. People who are vaccinated also get Measles.

What can we do? Keep your body healthy if you do not want to be sick.

Here are the ways to do this:

  1. Get enough rest 7-8 hours of sleep at night. This reduces stress on the body, reduces cortisol (immunosuppressant), re-energizes and heals our body. Children need over 8 hrs. of sleep.
  2. Eat Healthy. Eat from the periphery of the grocery store. Fruits, Vegetables, Meats, dairy, and drink more water. Eat less pre-packaged food. Definitely less sugar.
  3. Keep your skin moisturized and healthy. Our skin is our first line of defense and our largest organ.
  4. See your Chiropractor. Chiropractic Adjustments affects your nervous system. Every cell in your body has a direct connection to your nervous system. Chiropractic makes your bodies operate at its highest capacity, resist infection by boosting your immunity, and reduces stress.
  5. Reduce your stress in all avenues in your life, (Diet, Emotional, Physical, and Visual). New evidence shows that the wave length of blue light emitted from electronics (phones, tablets, TV, computer) reduces serotonin (feel good hormone) levels in the brain.
  6. Take additional Supplements:
    a. Vitamin C: Take an additional 1000+ mg/day. Vitamin C is used in every cell process, and it is depleted within our body during illness.
    b. Vitamin D3: 5,000 I.U. /day.
    c. Probiotic: This keeps our gut lining healthy, improves nutrient absorption, and this is a primary organ where our immunity also comes from.
  7. If you get a fever, do not reduce it unless it is above 104 degrees. And never use Aspirin when you have a fever. Your body is defending itself by burning the infection out.

These are just a few helpful hints to keep all of you well this time of year. But it is also guidelines to follow all year long to maintain your health and prevent illness.

Yours in wellness,
Dr. Bouma

How to Choose the Right Bed

Part 2: How to Choose the Right Bed

Choosing the correct bed is really an individual decision.
Think about the following facts:

– Most conventional mattresses only last for 7-10 yrs.

– Most manufacturers say the correct way to “flip” your mattress is now only to “spin” your mattress. There is a problem with this scenario. For instance, I am 100 lbs. heavier than my spouse. My spouse is now getting my compressed side of the mattress and I get the less beat-up side. How well do you think that is going to go over? Not too well when my spouse wakes up every morning with a stiff back!

– Memory Foam beds are too mushy and people often have trouble rolling around or getting off of them.

– A firm mattress with 5” of pillow-top kind of defeats the purpose of the firm mattress don’t you think?

What is the Solution? Sleep Number Beds.
Here’s the reasons I believe they are better:

  1. 20 year Warranty
  2. Choose one with 2 air bladders (His and Her) sides. Then you each may adjust your side of the bed to your preference.
  3. These beds are adjustable. If your back is sore, typically a firmer mattress is better for you.
    When your back is feeling better you can adjust it back down.
  4. No need to “turn or flip” the mattress, so it is easier on your back.
  5. It is lighter to change the sheets and lift up a corner to get that fitted sheet attached.
  6. You can always find a deal on the internet.
  7. They require a solid base. Here is the $300 savings tip: If you are keeping the same size bed check to see if your current box spring has wood sides. If the box has solid sides, you can deck the top
    with a few pieces of 3/8” plywood and tack it in to make a solid base for the mattress.
    If you had a water bed even better, you keep the same platform.
  8. To help you in a quest for better rest, I can save you $75 off your purchase. Simply stop in the office and I can give you a signed referral slip to take to the store.

I hope that you find this article incredibly interesting and stay tuned for more of them. Keep up the good work, we are growing in our quest for more folks liking us on Facebook and when you are in the office be certain to check in on Facebook as well.

Thanks for Reading.
Dr. Bouma

A Good Night’s Rest – Correct Pillow Height Importance

One of the biggest questions that I am asked from my clients is, “Do you think my bed and/or my pillow may be the culprit of my aching neck or back?”

Let me break this all down for you.
Here are the general rules:

Pillow height is dependent on the position that you most commonly sleep and your shoulder to side of your head measurement. This last statement is a bit tricky, all we need to achieve is to make your spine (including your neck) parallel to the bed. Too thin a pillow allows your head to dip, too tall of a pillow cranks your neck up. You also have to think about your sleeping position in this quest. For example, if you sleep with your arm under your pillow you need to account for that when you are trying to find the right size pillow. If you are a back sleeper, a thinner pillow is needed so that you do not flex your head all night long.

We need support under our necks at night that will promote a good spinal curve. I am not a big fan of orthopedic pillows, because the curves that they have molded in them do not match up with most people’s necks. People may have short necks and wide shoulders, or long necks and smaller shoulders. The curve of our neck is not identical for everyone, therefore one pillow style isn’t good for all people.

Here is how we find the right pillow for you.
Whatever department store you like to shop at find one of those fake bed displays. Go and pull out every pillow you think would look comfortable. Lie on the bed and dedicate a side of the bed to make a yes and no pile. Lay on every pillow and if you like one pillow put it on the yes side and if you try another and it does not feel right throw it on the no side. When you have finished, choose your top 3 pillows and write down the names of the other possible winners.

Purchase the top choice pillow and take it home. Slit open the bag, but do not pull the pillow out of it. Double sheet the pillow and sleep on it. Give it a few days to a week and decide if it is right for you. See how your neck and head feel in the morning or how well rested you feel.

If it is not the pillow for you, take your receipt and bring the pillow back to the store and get your #2 pillow that you wrote down.

This is the best way of choosing the perfect pillow without owning a several ($100) pillow collection that no one likes.

It’s All In How You Practice

Recently, patients have come to me after getting sold on the idea that they have a detrimental spinal condition of degeneration, arthritis, and poor spinal health by other Chiropractic groups. Each person has a similar story. Enticed with free x-rays or weight loss specials by locations outside of shopping centers, at health fairs, or by other advertisements they were encouraged or expressly told they needed ‘ever so’ urgent Chiropractic care. Some were told they may not be able to walk or they are on their way to the surgeon’s table. The patient is given a treatment schedule from 22-50+ visits, and exercises within the next 6 months, and finally one visit per week for life. At the end of this consultation, patients are encouraged to sign a contract for their care plan, making you feel that you’re under some obligation. Sounds more like a used car salesman’s tactics than anything. These chiropractic groups often tell people their current Chiropractor is doing you a dis-service to their health by not giving you the news and the cure, in which they are going to render.

My problem with this is they (other Chiropractic groups) use Practice Management to the “T”. They want their PVA (Patient Visit Average) to be 22-50+ visits. This means dollar ($) signs. These doctors are more concerned with the almighty dollar than actually providing their patients with honest service. Each patient is unique as is their condition, not the same cookie cutter treatment plan for everyone. What happens when your treatment plan is up or you ran out of insurance benefits? Does that mean you no longer have any issues and will not in the future? Not likely. What about next year? Many of these doctors are employees of the Practice, typically fresh out of school or with 0-5 years of experience. It’s a great way to grow a practice for the Chiropractor, but provides little patient benefit or end result satisfaction.

Pictures (x-rays) do not lie. Spinal disease, degeneration, poor spinal curvature, arthritis, and a weak core all have a progressive nature that will continue. Let’s be straight on these findings. These conditions of the spine and discs are a result of previous injuries sustained in your lives, poor posture, how you sit, sleep, and live. It is a slow process that your body has created over several years. Five minutes in a Chiropractors office and exercises for 50 days is not going to erase conditions that have been created 365/24/7 for “x” years. There will be improvement within this treatment schedule; however, you will not see correction of spinal curvature, arthritis, or disc degeneration within this time frame. There is supportive science that these Chiropractors use as their defense. However, as an individual, you are the key to this working. What you do, the choices you make, what you eat, how you exercise, stretch, your posture, your relationships, how you relieve your stress, etc. are equally beneficial to your health and happiness.

The principles and philosophy of Chiropractic is the most congruent to our body’s innate physiology than any other health care profession. However, the effectiveness will vary based on the practitioner. The Chiropractor’s technique, clinical experience, knowledge, and character of the doctor/practice is what makes their practice busy and/or successful. No two Chiropractors are the same, even though we may have gone to the same school. What is the right choice for you may not be the same choice for another. If you have tried Chiropractic and you did not like that doctor’s style; find another doctor.

Our office is a direct reflection of my philosophy and life. We are a 100% referral based practice. We do not pound the streets for new patients. There is no better advertisement or compliment than being referred to us by our loyal and trusting clients. My goal is to make Chiropractic affordable, convenient, extremely effective in a short period of time, and give you tools to make you stronger and wiser. Honesty, hard work, results, and early office hours set us apart from other offices. Do we believe in wellness care? Absolutely! But, that is an individual’s choice to accept my recommendation and for us to find the appropriate treatment frequency based upon what their body needs. Thank you for your undivided attention and may you always know that, “I have your back”!

Sincerely,
Dr. John Bouma

Shoulder Problems (Part 2)

As mentioned previously the two things that we do most consistently in life are work and sleep. We all have the sleep process in common. Our work component varies based on your occupation. This article is for the folks that sit at a desk and stare at a computer screen all day. The same principles can and should be applied to your home computing area. Teach your children good posture habits for a life-time of better backs.

Work Place Ergonomics:

  1. Standing is better than sitting.
  2. If you have to sit; sit at the front of your chair, move your feet back so that they are underneath your seat and you are on the balls of your feet. This position changes the hip to knee line to a downward angle, thus placing your lower back into extension; then sit tall through your lower back. This will simulate standing. When your butt gets numb that is your indicator light to stand up.
  3. Keyboard height should be at your fingertips when your elbow is bent at 90 degrees and the shoulders are relaxed.
  4. Monitor height. Your plane of gaze should be parallel to the floor 18 – 24” from your nose to the center of your screen.

Common problems that arise from a poorly designed work station are: headaches, migraines, Dowager’s Hump (hump at the base of the neck), neck pain, numbness in the arms, hands and fingers, breathing problems, frequent illness, stress, SHOULDER PROBLEMS, weak core muscles, lower back pain, stiffness, sciatica, muscle shortening, circulation problems, and the list goes on.

See your work place ergonomic specialist and get your space evaluated. Plug in the ideas I recommend above and you will see improvement.

This is just another helpful hint!