Wow, it has been a long time since I have been here. I apologize – it has been a busy week! It started off with a fantastic Patient Appreciation Day celebrating my 3 years in Mooresville. We had a lot of fun with games, activities and a testy grill J -- thanks to Andy for his help in getting that grill to work. I can't express how much I have enjoyed being part of the Lake Norman community - truly amazing people. Thank you to all my patients, family and friends for all of your support through the first 3 years of my journey in guiding LKN to better health!
Here are some pics from the day.
Food Table
Kebobs!
Can't go wrong with a game of cornhole
Can’t wait for future PADs!
The busy continued as the next day, my wife soloed with the Charlotte Civic Orchestra –she played awesome and I am so proud of her!
While listening to the orchestra, I got an idea to for another blog subject – musicians and chiropractic. Keep an eye out for that post!
Since my last post, a couple people have asked me what exactly is Sciatica. I thought, “Why not make that my next post?”
Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve. This pain radiates (travels) from the lower back into the buttocks and down the back of one or both legs. It is caused by irritation of a nerve and usually begins as an acute pain in the lower back which will then radiate down the back of either or both legs.
Did you know the Sciatic nerve is actually a bundle of nerves? There are 5 pairs of nerves that exit the spine in the lower back; these nerves make up what we know as the sciatic nerves.If the vertebrae or bones in the lower back are misaligned or out of place; or the disc between the vertebrae are swollen, bulged or herniated, the result is inflammation or spasm which causes pressure on those nearby nerves.This can cause tremendous pain and normal daily activities become almost impossible.
Symptoms of Sciatica:
¨ Sensation changes on back of the leg (could be down to the sole of the foot)
¨ Numbness, tingling, burning and/or pain down leg
¨ Weakness of the knee or foot
¨ Difficulty walking
¨ Inability to move foot or bend knee (in severe cases)
¨ Pain when changing body positions (sitting to standing, etc)
As a chiropractor,I work on correcting misaligned vertebrae which decreases inflammation and spasm and can remove the pressure placed on the sciatic nerve, reducing pain and improving flexibility and function.
Along with getting adjusted you should reduce your activity for the first couple of days. After a few days you can slowly start your usual activities. Avoid heavy lifting or twisting of your back for the first 6 weeks after the pain begins. You should start exercising again after 2-3 weeks. This should include exercises to strengthen your abdomen and improve flexibility of your spine (only doctor recommended exercises).
Today I had a great meeting with the coaches from one of our area high schools. As I was getting the stuff together, I realized that I haven’t spoken too much on Sports and Chiropractic.I wanted to take this opportunity to share why it is so important for athletes (and us weekend warriors) to see a chiropractor.
Why is Chiropractic so important to athletes? In sports, Chiropractors enhance performance, prevent and manage injury. They have been able to help in pre-competition preparation, competition endurance, and all aspects of injury prevention and treatment. A research study conducted by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, published in the journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, 1991, indicated chiropractic care might improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a two week period. The report also concluded that subluxation-free athletes react faster, coordinate better, execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.
I tell my story of personal discovery of Chiropractic often, but just to refresh your memory…
I played sports throughout my life until one morning, while in college, I went to get up but couldn’t move – pain was shooting down my leg. I can’t even explain the pain and fear I had. I went to numerous doctors and had a couple MRIs performed. What did they say? Nothing is wrong with me, my spine is in better shape than it should be for someone my height and activity level (well, prior activity level) – they gave me some muscle relaxers and said to “live with it”… REALLY? I mean, REALLY? I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t use stairs. I couldn’t get in or out of my car... AND they said they couldn’t find anything wrong!!! They pumped me with chemicals that didn’t work and sent me on my way. Needless to say, the remaining 3 years of college were not fun. I would go through spurts of no pain and I would happily play intramural basketball or football. But there were also those times that I couldn’t move.Unfortunately, due to my Sciatica, other areas of my back started hurting because of my body compensating for the original problem.
OUCH!
Finally after years of nagging meJ, Lynn convinced me to go see a chiropractor (she has been an advocate since she was in 6th grade). I loved her logic: “your back hurts, go to a back doctor!”They took their x-rays and noticed that my spine was “twisted” slightly causing inflammation and spasm, which put pressure on a nerve. After a couple of weeks (even though it had hurt for years), I could sleep through the night!!! AWESOME!
So, how is it that a 19 year old (my age when sciatica hit) is down for the count – so to speak? It was because all the things I did throughout childhood had finally caught up to me... for me 19, for others it could be our 30’s or 40’s. I didn’t think about how the body functions or how things need to align so inflammation and spasm don’t happen. I just shook off the pains and soreness from pushing my body (but how much was my body saying “hold up, I am not working right!”).
Here is a quote from an interview Emmitt Smith did a few years back about his Chiropractic care:
“I found a specialist that's really good in balancing out my body to make sure my hips are rotated right, and my body is functioning properly…I remember somebody telling me that what I put myself in during the games is like having a car wreck every Sunday. It's against the norm. You can find yourself in awkward positions. That stuff takes its toll. But if you take advantage of the health care, balance your body back out, put it back where it's supposed to be, you function better, and you recover faster.” – Emmitt Smith
We don’t all play professional sports, but I know that we still put our body through a lot, so why wouldn’t it be the same for us weekend warriors?Chiropractic care is becoming a treatment of choice by professional and amateur athletes. Chiropractic care is not limited to the more advanced athlete, but young athletes are able to benefit from chiropractic treatment as well.
Ten years ago, we didn’t understand what Chiropractic was, but Lynn and I both knew it worked. Now I know the science behind the anatomy and physiology of the body and how adjustments work to improve the function. I am amazed every day by what the body can do and am proud to be part of a profession that is proven to assist the body to heal itself and function at an optimal capacity.
Are you an athlete (includes weekend warriors!)– why wouldn’t you want to improve your game or run? Get your spine checked!
As this day comes to an end, I want to take a moment to reflect.
Lynn and I witnessed a great thing today while we were watching the Browns game at a local restaurant. They were showing a tribute to 9/11 prior to the 4pm game and as the trumpet player began Taps, the entire restaurant became silent. Every one stopped talking, eating, serving… It was an amazing thing – it took my breath.
I have noticed today that many people have shared where they were during the tragic event 10 years ago.Where was I? I was teaching in Jacksonville, NC. I remember that my classroom didn’t have a working television, so my colleague and I were hearing bits from students as they come into the classroom. We didn’t understand. Finally, we learned. It was one of the hardest moments of my teaching career --so many of our students were occupied with thoughts of their family and friends and questions of what this meant. I should mention that Jacksonville is home of Camp Lejuene Marine base. The town was shut down that day; most, if not all, of the marines were called to base and families stayed inside looking for reasons and understanding. It was spooky how deserted the town felt for weeks.
Much has changed over these last 10 years; I have lived in 3 different states and as you know, have changed careers. But I have not forgotten what changed that September 11th.As a nation, we became united, we were reminded of how great our nation is, and were reminded how precious life is for everyone.My heart and prayers are always with those that were lost that day, those that have lost loved ones and those who sacrifice their lives and time with their family every day so that I can live a great life.
Take another moment to reflect on the positives in your life, to be thankful for everything you have and to remember there are people making sacrifices for us.
"God bless the family members who have to endure that loss and God guide us to our reunion in heaven, and God bless the United States of America." - Rudy Giuliani
I have entered the world of blogging! My goal with this is to keep you posted with ASC events, the latest research in healthcare, healthy living tips and educate you with everything that Chiropractic can do for you and your family!
To start things off, I want to refresh everyone's memory on what is Chiropractic:
Chiropractic a science that evaluates your nervous system and removes interference throughout the body by realigning your spine.
The word chiropractic comes from Greek words meaning "treatment by hand", which is exactly what chiropractors do—they use their hands to manipulate the body and promote healing and wellness.
The chiropractic philosophy is based on the following belief statements:
All bodily functions are connected and the healing process involves the entire body.
A healthy nervous system, particularly the spine, is the key to a healthy body. The spinal cord carries information throughout the body and is responsible for all bodily functions including voluntary movements (such as walking) and involuntary functions (such as breathing). When the systems of the body are in balance, it is called homeostasis. Disorders of the bones, muscles, and nerves can disrupt homeostasis and increase the risk of disease and other health problems.
When body systems are in harmony, the human body has the remarkable ability to maintain health and heal itself.
