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Category: Subluxation

Is It Normal for Knees to Pop and Crack?

Is It Normal for Knees to Pop and Crack?

??????????????????????????????????????????????????Many people experience a popping or cracking noise in their knees as they squat down or bend their knees, and this seems to happen with increasing regularity as we age. The medical term for this condition is called crepitus. It is a very normal phenomenon and, so long as it is painless, there is nothing to be overly concerned about. Whether young or old, cracking and popping of the knees is a common occurrence.

Crepitus can be caused by many things, and scientists are still not completely certain why it happens. One of the reasons for the popping sound may be that the patella is slightly out of alignment and is rubbing against the front of the femur or the adjacent soft tissue. Another condition called cavitation can cause a popping sound when small bubbles of carbon dioxide, which are normally suspended in the synovial fluid that lubricates the knee joint, form a larger bubble and make a popping sound as the knee is bent or twisted (think bubble wrap). Lax ligaments have been associated with an increase in cavitation. Changes in altitude or barometric pressure can often exacerbate the popping sound, such as on plane flights or when there is a change in the weather.

However, if the cracking or popping noise is accompanied by pain on a regular basis, or the knee catches or locks up, then you may have some cause for concern. Pain, sometimes accompanied by a grinding sensation, may be an indication that there is tissue damage to the articulating surfaces of the joint, such as tear to the meniscus. The cartilage behind the kneecap can fray, leading to the pain and popping sound of patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is generally caused by an overuse and misalignment of the hips, knees and ankles.

Swelling and/or stiffness may be indications of early arthritis, bursitis, gout or tendinitis. To be sure you do not damage the joint further, which may require surgery to correct, it is wise to consult with your physician or chiropractor to stop any further damage before it starts.

Your chiropractor can help to realign any joints that are misaligned, which may be contributing to the problem, in addition to suggesting specific stretching and strengthening exercises that you can do at home to support the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the knee. Weak quadriceps is one of the foremost causes of knee pain, so exercises to strengthen this area may be a good idea. If you need to be seen, you can call our office at 406-652-3553.

Look Who Else Uses Chiropractic: Professional Golfers

Look Who Else Uses Chiropractic: Professional Golfers

golf-collage-200-300Both amateur golfers and professionals alike find that chiropractic care helps keep them at their best both on and off the golf course. Many golfers who belong to the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) insist upon chiropractic care during a tournament. The PGA has contracted Dr. Tom LaFountain and his team of chiropractors since 1997 to provide chiropractic services at all PGA tours and Championship tours throughout the U.S.
Chiropractor Dale Richardson, who treats championship golfer Padraig Harrington, says, “The most common injuries are strains and sprains in the lower back and neck, and tendonitis affecting the wrists and forearms due to the repetitive action and overuse syndromes typical of golf. These injuries can be prevented by taking precautionary measures, such as conditioning and proactive healthcare, both of which are key to optimizing performance for anyone who plays golf.”

Harrington, winner of two British Open championships and a PGA championship, is a big supporter of chiropractic.  He says, “One thing I know through experience is that I need to keep seeing my chiropractor, even when I have a few weeks off from golf. Getting on-going chiropractic care helps me to stay injury-free. It also helps me to deal with symptoms when they begin, so that they don’t turn into bigger injuries down the road.”
In 1995, at the tender age of 17, when Tiger Woods was still an amateur golfer, he appeared as an advocate for chiropractic on the Chiropractic Centennial Foundation’s (CCF) Tournament of Roses Parade Float. Woods said, “Being a chiropractic patient has really helped me a lot. When I was in a growth spurt, my back became very sore and I was weak. My chiropractor really helped me. Not only did he adjust my spine, he also gave me strengthening exercises to do. If you are tall and gangly, like I am, or play sports, I would recommend chiropractic. It’s as important to my game as practicing my swing!”

Fred Funk, one of the oldest players to feature in the top 50 of Official World Golf Rankings, said, “I do believe chiropractic has really benefited my game.  Over the last three years, I feel I have become more exposed to, and knowledgeable about, the benefits of chiropractic for me and my game.  I realize how your body can get out of balance, and chiropractic care helps me. So many guys on the tour wanted chiropractic care that the tour had to supply a regular chiropractor that travels with us two weeks out of the month!”

Dr. Richardson added, “Golfers who access treatment by a chiropractor with multidisciplinary experience will experience fewer injuries, perform better, and achieve greater results. Restoring and improving skeletal and joint mobility with associated skeletal and joint stability is a focus of chiropractic treatment.”

Migraine Headache Causes and Treatment Options

Migraine Headache Causes and Treatment Options

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????For those of you who wonder if you’ve ever suffered a migraine, it is likely you haven’t.  Migraines are a debilitating form of headache that can involve not only intense throbbing head pain, but also nausea, vomiting and flashes of light.  Despite how common migraines are, there is surprisingly little known about what exactly causes them.  Researchers believe that they are due to a combination of different factors, including genetics and environment, which cause chemical changes in the brain.

When a migraine occurs, levels of serotonin have been found to drop.  Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite and sleep.  Experts believe this drop causes the trigeminal nerve, which is a major pain pathway, to release neuropeptides into the meninges that covers the brain, causing intense headache pain.

Other likely causes of migraines include the following:

* Hormonal changes in women – Particularly when estrogen fluctuates before menstruation, during pregnancy or during menopause.
* Sensory stimulation – Bright lights, glare from the sun, loud noise or even certain scents (whether pleasant or unpleasant) can trigger a migraine.
* Particular foods – Some of the most common food triggers of migraines are red wine, caffeine, aged cheeses, chocolate and monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is a flavor enhancer commonly used by Asian restaurants.  Pickled or fermented foods and the nitrates in deli meats and can also be triggers.
* Not eating – Skipping meals or fasting.
* Changes in sleep – Both getting too much and too little sleep can trigger a migraine.
* Stress – Not surprisingly, stress can contribute to the likelihood of getting a migraine.
* Medications – Particularly vasodilators and contraceptives.
* Physical activity – Intense physical exertion (including sexual activity) can be a trigger.

Your family history plays a major part in whether or not you are likely to get migraines.  Of those who suffer from them, 90 percent have a family history of migraine attacks.  Although they can begin at any age, most people who are going to get migraines have had their first attack during their teenage years, and nearly all have had at least one by age 40.

Treatment for migraines can include pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen and anti-emetics to control nausea and vomiting.  For those with chronic migraines who do not respond to over-the-counter pain medication, a doctor may prescribe a drug such as Sumatriptan, which is similar to serotonin and reduces the vascular inflammation that is associated with migraines, in addition to reducing the action of the trigeminal nerve.

In addition to avoiding the known triggers mentioned above, some migraine sufferers use various vitamins and herbal remedies to help prevent them.  These include vitamin B12, riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, magnesium citrate, feverfew, butterbur and melatonin.

Chiropractic care can also help to prevent and relieve migraines.  Studies have found that chiropractic relieves migraines as well as medication, and with no side effects.  Also, those who received regular chiropractic care reported a significant reduction in both the frequency and intensity of their migraines.  Dr. Oblander has had great success in working with his patients who suffer from migraines. Quite often, he has discovered that there are multiple factors involved for his patients who frequently suffer from migraines. If you are one of the unlucky ones for whom migraines are a fact of life, just remember that there are safe and effective ways to treat them.

Chiropractic Boosts Immunity!!!

Chiropractic Boosts Immunity!!!

We wanted to share this article. We see the influence that chiropractic adjustments have on immunity and overall health all the time. However, we know that our patients seldom get to have that amazing vantage point that we do! With the cold and flu season upon us and for overall health – make sure you keep you and your loved ones adjusted!

Chiropractic Boosts Immunity
Friday, February 04, 2011 by: Dr. David Jockers

The nervous system and immune system are hardwired and work together to create optimal responses for the body to adapt and heal appropriately. Neural dysfunctions due to spinal misalignments are stressful to the body and cause abnormal changes that lead to a poorly coordinated immune response. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to boost the coordinated responses of the nervous system and immune system.

The autonomic nervous system is hardwired into the lymphoid organs such as the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow that produce the body’s immune response. Growing evidence is showing that immune function is regulated in part by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.

Subluxation is the term for misalignments of the spine that cause compression and irritation of nerve pathways affecting organ systems of the body. Subluxations are an example of physical nerve stress that affects neuronal control. According to researchers, such stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function & increased susceptibility to a variety of diseases.

Inflammatory based disease is influenced by both the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Nerve stimulation directly affects the growth and function of inflammatory cells. Researchers found that dysfunction in this pathway results in the development of various inflammatory syndromes such as rheumatoid arthritis and behavioral syndromes such as depression. Additionally, this dysfunctional neuro-endo-immune response plays a significant role in immune-compromised conditions such as chronic infections and cancer.

Wellness based chiropractors analyze the spine for subluxations and give corrective adjustments to reduce the stress on the nervous system. A 1992 research group found that when a thoracic adjustment was applied to a subluxated area the white blood cell (neutrophil) count collected rose significantly.

In 1975, Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute and professor in Environmental Health at New York University, began researching the most scientifically valid ways to estimate individual susceptibility to various chronic diseases. He has conducted a tremendous amount of research in this area that includes over 160 published reports in peer reviewed journals.

Pero and his colleagues discovered that various DNA-repairing enzymes could be significantly altered following exposure to carcinogenic chemicals. He found strong evidence that an individual’s susceptibility to cancer could be determined by these enzymes. Lack of those enzymes, Pero said, ‘definitely limits not only your lifespan, but also your ability to resist serious disease consequences.’

Pero was fascinated by the relationship cancer-inducing agents had on the endocrine system. Since the nervous system regulates hormone balance, he hypothesized that the nervous system had to also have a strong influence on one’s susceptibility to cancer.

To support this argument he found a substantial amount of literature linking various kinds of spinal cord injuries and cancer. Pero found that these injuries led to a very high rate of lymphomas and lymphatic leukemias. This understanding led Pero to consider Chiropractic care as a means of reducing the risk of immune breakdown and disease.

Pero’s team measured 107 individuals who had received long-term Chiropractic care. The chiropractic patients were shown to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care, and a 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer or serious diseases. Interestingly, Pero found no decline with the various age groups in the study demonstrating that the DNA repairing enzymes were just as present in long-term chiropractic senior groups as they were in the younger groups.

Pero concluded, ‘Chiropractic may optimize whatever genetic abilities you have so that you can fully resist serious disease…I have never seen a group other than this show a 200% increase over normal patients.’

Kent, Christopher. Models of Vertebral Subluxation: A Review. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. August 1996, Vol 1:1. Pg 4-5

Sternberg EM, Chrousos GP, Wilder RL, Gold PW. The stress response and the regulation of inflammatory disease. Ann Intern Med 1992; 117 (10):854

Brennan PC, Triano JJ, McGregor M, et al. Enhanced neutrophil respiratory burst as a biological marker for manipulation forces: duration of the effect and association with substance P and tumor necrosis factor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1992; 15(2):83

How to Find a Great Chiropractor!

How to Find a Great Chiropractor!

If you already have a chiropractor that you love and feel comfortable with – you do not need to read any further. However, if you don’t know much about chiropractic and you are thinking about seeing a chiropractor…read on.

There are plenty of ways to get information on chiropractors. The Internet and Social Media have all kinds of links and sites. However, the best way to get information on a chiropractor is from his/her patients (word of mouth). An amazing website is great but it can’t substitute for a person who has been treated and cared for by the doctor in person.

Admittedly, I am a huge chiropractic fan but that does not mean that I think that all chiropractors are created equal. Here are the things to look for and do if you want to find a great chiropractor:

•    Scheduling – does the doctor limit his/her appointments to five minute increments? If they do, this is a sign that they are more interested in getting people in and out than they are in giving the patient the time and attention they need. (I call that a cattle chute operation)
•    Does the doctor listen to and then attempt to answer your questions? No chiropractor can take unlimited time with you but a great chiropractor will do their best to make sure your questions are answered.
•    Does the doctor take time to explain what he/she is doing? A great chiropractor tries to make the patient feel comfortable and will take the time to explain what they are doing.
•    Is the prime concern of the office efficiency (getting people in and out) or with making sure that the patient knows that they are genuinely cared for?
•    Is the doctor caring and does he/she develop relationships with his/her patients?
•    Is the doctor concerned that you feel comfortable?
•    Ask his/her patients what kind of care the doctor gives.
•    Does the doctor x-ray every patient? If so, they are probably more interested in paying for their x-ray equipment than in x-raying a patient only when there is a demonstrated need.
•    How does the doctor treat his/her staff? Does the doctor’s staff recommend him/her when they are away from the office?

Try not to pay too much attention to the décor of the office. Many doctors have very nice, well decorated offices – and offices of that sort are certainly easy on the eyes but they don’t tell the whole story of the care that the doctor is willing to give you. I would want a doctor’s office to be nice, clean and well organized but I would rather be treated by a “great” chiropractor in a modestly decorated office than be treated by a chiropractor who runs a “cattle chute” operation in a high end office space.

I am fortunate to be married to a great chiropractor.  It always makes me smile when my husband’s patients share their experiences with me; so many of them come not just to have an adjustment but to be with friends.  I understand how important it is to them that my husband takes the time to answer their questions, explain what he is doing and that he genuinely cares. My husband has not always been a chiropractor. I think that being a chiropractor as a second career has helped him see his practice through a lens of experience that is not common to many practicing doctors. I am grateful that life has taught both my husband and me the amazing things that chiropractic can do for those it treats! Grateful too to understand that genuine care and concern is always an integral part of any great chiropractor’s practice!

How Does Chiropractic Work?

How Does Chiropractic Work?

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I find it interesting when I hear people ask if subluxations can really affect a person’s health. Sometimes I have to bite my tongue because to me it seems so obvious. After all, when a spinal cord is severed….is the ability of the individual with that spinal cord still able to move and function like it did previous to the injury? I obtained the following information from www.mdguidelines.com:

If the spinal cord is damaged, additional complications from paraplegia or quadriplegia include pneumonia, recurring urinary infections, decubitus ulcers, nephrolithiasis, and osteoporosis.

Think about it! If an individual receives injury to their spine in the neck area – why would urinary infections, etc be affected? Because the spine is home to the body’s nervous system and impairment to ANY area of the nervous system has the ability to affect any area of the body that that nervous system supplies information to.

Millions of instructions flow from your brain, down the spinal cord, and out to every organ and tissue. Signals sent back to the brain confirm whether your body is working as it should. Improper motion or position of the moving bones of the spine may interfere with this vital exchange by irritating nearby nerves and the tissues they control.

Nerve interferences are most common along the spine.  Chiropractic adjustments (manipulation) are designed to help correct or reduce those interferences. Research confirms that interferences to the nervous system change the way the body functions. Therefore, when interferences are allowed to continue without correction – health issues can develop over time which might have otherwise been avoided if they had been corrected with timely chiropractic adjustments.

Since it is possible to have subluxations and not know it (like the early stages of tooth decay or even cancer) chiropractors believe it is a good idea to be checked regularly for subluxations and to have those subluxations corrected.

Chiropractors are trained to find the subluxations you are experiencing. They then can use various adjusting methods to correct the subluxations. Some doctors only use one method – I personally like to be treated by a chiropractor with more than one tool (adjusting method) in his doctor’s bag. Here, at Oblander Chiropractic, I love that Dr. Oblander uses a variety of adjusting techniques which is often determined by both the desires of the patient and what is seen by Dr. Oblander as the best way to correct the subluxations.

Chiropractic is a science, art and philosophy. It’s a scientific fact that your brain and nervous system control every cell, tissue and organ of your body.

Chiropractic works by reducing or eliminating subluxations (interferences). The methods employed by chiropractic work because the body is a self-healing organism that is controlled and regulated by your nervous system. Utilizing adjustments to remove interferences the nervous system is experiencing is like taking a 1930’s home electrical system and replacing it with a state of the art electrical system. The shorts and faulty wiring from the old system are remedied and “whole” home (body) runs better, is more solid! A healthy nervous system is key to optimum health!