Happy October!

We LOVE Halloween in our office, so we celebrate all month long. Dr. Mazgaloff's birthday is the 31st, which makes it extra special! We've got bats on the bulletin board, ghosts on the white boards and pumpkins on the windows, and, to top it all off, it actually is cool enough to feel like fall today!

In honor of this kid-friendly holiday, I'd like to remind you all that your kids need chirorpactic, too. Not to say that most kids need to be adjusted all the time, but people of ALL ages benefit when their body is properly aligned.

In our office, we recommend kids get checked if they have had a big fall, or if they are complaining of nagging pain.

A great way to keep your kids out of the doctor's office in the first place is to make sure they exercise. Specifically, exercise in a smart way: train for balance! Training for better balance is something anyone can do, no matter how "out of shape" they may be. It can be as simple as standing on one leg, sitting on an exercise ball, or using a rocker board. And the whole family can benefit from balance training!

When we have good balance, we have improved feedback from our feet and legs to our brain. When this happens, the muscles in the legs and feet function better, allowing them to help support you in any situation. People who train in balance are much less likely to injury themselves when they stumble, because their muscles are strong enough to catch them before they fall.

So try it with your family today! The average healthy adult should be able to stand on one leg with their eyes open for 10 seconds without wobbling. If that's too easy for you, try closing your eyes - careful! Make sure you have something you can grab onto in case you need to steady yourself.

Have fun with this, and remember that balance is something that lasts a lifetime. From childhood falls to elderly mis-steps, improved balance can mean the difference between a band-aid and a trip to the doctor's office.

School's back in session

Well, you can tell school is back in session because our office is packed! Most chiropractic offices experience a lull around the time that school starts again, but not ours. We treat so many families, they all want to be at their best for the new school year. So, they come see us:) Of course, there's also the occasional summer injuries that finally make their way in...we've had several surfers with whiplash this year. Be careful our there, folks!

This post, I want to talk to you a bit about Lupus. The official name is Systemic Lupus Erythematosis. Also called SLE, or more simply, Lupus, it is a condition that can go unrecognized for years. Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory, auto-immune condition. It causes the body’s own cells to attack themselves, resulting in tissue damage in joints, the skin, the kidneys, the heart, the lungs, blood vessels and the brain. It typically affects women (all races are affected, but most commonly African American) between the ages of 15 and 45, though all ages and both sexes can be affected. The cause of Lupus is unknown, and there is no known cure. Because of its effect on the vital organs, Lupus can be fatal.

Interestingly, in the literature, the characteristic of Lupus most often mentioned is a malar or "Butterfly" shaped rash on the face, where two wing-like red areas cover the patient's cheeks. However, because this disease is less common in Caucasians, the likelihood of the rash being present is significantly diminished. We need new markers to help doctors diagnose this condition more accurately. Without them, doctors often treat a variety of symptoms for years before finally diagnosing Lupus.

In our office, we help Lupus patients cope with their illness by reducing joint and tissue inflammation and swelling. By using gentle massage and chiropractic adjusting, we can help our patients’ joints move as freely as possible. We often co-treat Lupus patients with a variety of other healthcare professionals, from rheumatologists to acupuncturists to general practitioners. When we work together as a team, the patient always wins.

Our office works in conjunction with the Alliance for Lupus Research. Please visit their website to learn how you can help. They hold a walk every year, and are able to provide valuable insight for patients who have been struggling with the disease.

Busy! Busy! Busy!

August is Foot Health Month. A lot of you out there are probably wondering what a chiropractor cares about foot health. You’re thinking, “Isn’t that a podiatrist’s forte?” Not so! While podiatrists are an invaluable part of the medical community, we chiropractors care a lot about feet, too. Why? Because we’re all about balance. If you feet are having problems, what are the chances that the res of your body is being well-supported? Not very good. Your feet are your foundation. When they ache or when you use them improperly, the rest of your body has to compensate. Thus, we end up seeing patient for things like knee pain, hip problems and even low back and neck complains all because of their feet.

So, we are on a crusade! We want to check your feet. All this month, we’ve been doing it for free! We want to look at your shoes and your insoles and make sure your feet are getting the support and attention they deserve. A lot of you already have custom insoles, and that’s great. But how long ago did you have someone check to make sure they are still performing their desired function? Our bodies go through changes over time, with ligaments losing collagen and joints becoming less mobile. These changes can make your custom insole more of a problem than a solution. Let us check to make sure yours are still in good shape.
Bring us your heel pain, your toe pain and shin splints. Chances are, we’ll be able to identify your problem in one visit and give you suggestions on how to fix it. If you don’t see us, see another chiropractor. If they aren’t comfortable with foot problems, ask them for a recommendation of a chiropractor who is. This is serious, people. It’s your FEET we’re talking about.

Ok, so I’m off my soap box for now…

Summer Safety Tips

Did you know this is the time of year we see the most preventable injuries? Here are a few tips to keep your summer a little safer:

- Wear sunscreen and reapply every few hours during exposure
- Take plenty of water breaks when exercising
- When boating, carry a life preserver for each person on board
- When swimming, ensure proper supervision
- One application of bug spray should last the day, unless it is washed off
- When on wheels, wear a helmet! Bikes, scooters, skates, etc.
- Avoid using fireworks at home; enjoy public displays where firefighters are supervising
- When hiking or camping, using the buddy system. Never go out into the wilderness alone.
- Check the air pressure in your tires
- Tell a neighbor when you are gone on vacation so they can report any suspicious activity at your home while you are away

Use some common sense and have a happy, healthy season!

ART - Active Release Technique

A lot of people have heard of ART, or Active Release Technique, but most don't know what it is or how it can be helpful. ART is just one of the many methods of treatment we use in our office to help our patients get better as fast as possible. It is a specialized form of massage commonly used in sports medicine, and its goal is to reduce muscle tension while re-aligning muscle fibers and breaking up scar tissue. Because of its multiple effects, ART is a very powerful therapy. It can easily be over-done or done incorrectly, resulting in significant and long-lasting muscle soreness after treatment. For this reason, it is important to only ever receive ART from a licensed ART practitioner.

A common use for ART is for rotator cuff muscles. In this case, the patient is usually seated with the doctor standing behind them. The patient will shorten the muscle being treated and the doctor will use their hand to "pin down" the muscle in the appropriate location. The patient then moves their arm through a prescribed range of motion while the doctor maintains pressure, causing the muscle to move under the doctor's hand. This motion is what separates ART from other forms of massage. By having the patient actively use their arm, the neurologic input to the area of treatment is significantly increased. In addition, by "pulling" along the muscle fibers, the fibers themselves can be re-aligned and any scar tissue in the area is broken up.

As you might imagine, this is an extremely effective therapy!

Case of the Week: Reynaud's Syndrome

Raynaud’s Syndrome is actually more common than most people think. The symptoms typically present as numbness or a feeling of cold in the hands or fingers, caused by constrictionof the small bloodvessels, called capillaries. In our office, our most recent patient presented with her fingers noticeably white from base to tip. She was complaining of numbness in her fingers and a feeling of constantly being cold. She was also under a significant amount of stress at work and at home, and the increase in her hand symptoms over the last few weeks had added to the stress. She reported that the feeling of numbness and cold seemed to get better and worse throughout the day and night, without any apparent pattern. She had tried wearing gloves and using hot packs on her hands, but the relief they provided was only temporary.

Raynaud’s is most common in women from the ages 18-30, and is typically aggravated by emotional stress. In order to actually be diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome, the patient is supposed to have had symptoms for at least 2 years. Otherwise, it is supposed to be called Raynaud's phenomenon.

In our patient’s case, there was really very little physically wrong with her. Her pulses were strong and regular, her sensation in her hand was normal, and there were no muscles or joints affecting the ability of the nerves to transmit information. Our recommendation for the patient was to find a way to decrease her emotional stress. We recommended seeing a counselor and arranging to take some time off work. In the mean time, reducing her exposure to cold temperatures, especially to her hands, would help decrease symptoms.

A follow-up revealed the patient’s symptoms had decreased to a manageable level within a few weeks of focusing on stress-reduction.

Chiropractic Care for Infants and Children

I’ve had a lot of people ask me, lately, “Kids don’t need chiropractic care, right?”. WRONG! Kids need chiropractic care most of all! Think about it. Chiropractic teaches the body how to maintain itself in a healthy position to allow maximum function. If a child’s body is taught how to maintain its health, they have a much sturdier foundation for the rest of their life. Studies have shown that kids who receive chiropractic check-ups have less chance of developing health problems like scoliosis. There are even case studies that indicate colicy infants just need to be adjusted!

The other great things about kids getting chiropractic care is how easy it is. Kids’ joints adjust very easily and they don’t need many adjustments before their body learns the proper alignment. And it’s fun! Every little kid I have ever adjusted giggles afterward. It doesn’t hurt and it’s not scary. In fact, I know one toddler who refuses to see her pediatrician without kicking and screaming, but will literally run into the arms of her chiropractor. Kids have an innate sense of what is best for their body, and they know chiropractic helps them with that.

So, take your kids in for a check up. Make sure you see a chiropractor who is comfortable treating children, because, as much as we love them, kids do come with their own unique set of complications. In my office, we often check the kids for free when the parents come for treatment. It’s that important to us that these young bodies are put on the right path.

For more information on infant and childhood chiropractic care, visit the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. I should warn you that the ICPA is a little over-zealous on some topics, so take it with a grain of salt. They are a great resource for finding a kid-friendly chiro in your area, though.