Chirocean - News & Updates

Back Pain, Neck Pain, Joint Pain. Osteoarthritis

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 16:06:25 -0400

If you have ever suffered from back pain, neck pain, or joint pain, you’re not alone. These conditions can cause painful, irritated, inflamed joints that make it difficult, for those suffering from the condition, to move and perform normal functions of daily living. If these conditions persist over time, it is likely they will result in a condition called Osteoarthritis; the most common chronic joint disorder.

The incidence of osteoarthritis is increasing each year due to the increased use of technology, the rising rate of obesity, and the growing size of the elderly population. It is likely that you or someone you know may be experiencing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Clinically, osteoarthritis is defined as the “the […] outcome of a range of disorders that result in structural and functional failure of synovial joints.”1

Structurally, the human body has 3 types of joints: fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial. Fibrous joints are primarily made of fibrous tissue, are usually immobile, and for example connect the bones in the skull. Cartilaginous joints partially consist of cartilage, are semi-mobile, and include the intervertebral discs. Synovial joints are made of a sac of fluid surrounding the ends of two bones, are highly mobile, and include the joints of your fingers, knees, and the joints that give movement to the spinal column.

All three types of joints mentioned above have the potential to develop osteoarthritis if they are not properly aligned, are moving improperly, or are poorly hydrated. When any of these conditions persist over time, joints begin to deteriorate. The signs include inflammation (synovial swelling), cartilage breakdown, osteophytosis (bone remodeling), sclerosis, and pain. After many years of dysfunction, the bone-remodeling process can be viewed on X-Ray images, and the patient is diagnosed with osteoarthritis, an irreversible condition. Though X-Ray imaging is the primary method for diagnosing osteoarthritis, there are earlier signs of dysfunction.

What causes joints to malfunction?

1.Trauma: as in the case of a small car accident, sports incident, or fall which causes a misalignment or dislocation of a joint.

2. Micro-trauma:the joint malfunctions slowly due to minor positional changes over time; for example misaligning the joints of the neck by looking down at a cell phone or tablet many times a day, sitting a computer desk for hours each day, sleeping on the same side of the body each night, repetitive movements, or lifting of heavy objects without proper techique.

In the latter examples above, joint malfunction and deterioration is often unnoticed by the patient for some time, but eventually produces symptoms as severity increases. Typically, once the patient begins to experience pain, soreness, weakness, numbness, decreased range of motion, or swelling, they often seek medical advice.

Traditional methods of treatment for joint or back pain include steroid injections directly into the joints and/or oral anti-inflammatory drugs. Though these therapies will often provide temporary relief, the steroidal drugs quickly reduce the bodies ability to produce healthy inflammatory chemical factors, and eventually the side-effects of these drugs lower bone density and make the patient more susceptible to fractures. After several rounds of steroidal injections and drugs, the patient is usually recommended a joint replacement. Traditional therapies do not address the cause of osteoarthritis, and in an article published in the British Medical Journal it clearly states that “non-pharmacological treatments should be tried first.”1

How can I prevent and/or reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Firstly, if you have back pain, neck pain, or joint pain, it is usually a sign that you already have malfunctioning joints. If left untreated, permanent arthritic changes are likely to occur. However, if properly treated, you can remove the dysfunction, re-align the joints, and prevent or largely delay the onset of the osteoarthritis.

Chiropractors are the doctors trained to detect joint dysfunction which is clinically referred to as “subluxation”. Chiropractors are commonly associated with the spine due to the high number of synovial joints located in the spinal column. Chiropractors are also capable of diagnosing many common disorders including subluxations in the joints of the spine and extremities (arms/legs). It is not necessary to have a referral to visit a chiropractor. After an extensive examination including X-Ray imaging, postural and neurological tests, if the signs of joint malfunction are detected, a plan of treatment is recommended. After a treatment plan is completed, simple and quick maintenance checkups are all that is necessary to prevent osteoarthritis. No prescription drugs or injections are necessary to prevent and treat subluxations. For individuals that have already developed arthritic changes, pain, swelling, or muscle soreness, regular chiropractic treatments may greatly reduce or eliminate these symptoms.

To learn more about how you can benefit from chiropractic treatments, or to reduce back, neck, or other joint pain, reduce swelling, and/or prevent osteoarthritis, call 787-462-6210 or visit chirocean.com today. Chirocean offers on-site chiropractic services in the Metro San Juan area.

References:

1. Nuki G. Osteoarthritis: a problem of joint failure. Z Rheumatol 1999;58: 142-7.

Newborns, Babies, Toddlers and Chiropractic

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:44:38 -0400

Chiropractic care is not only appropriate for newborns, but is arguably the most important period of life to get regular chiropractic checkups.

Why do newborns and children benefit from regular chiropractic checkups?

 To correct spinal subluxations due to trauma during the birth process. 
To correct normal spinal subluxations that occur due to belly sleeping or breastfeeding with the head turned to one side. 
To relax tight, painful, tense muscle fiber bundles usually in the neck or midback that can the result of constantly trying to strengthen movement patterns and overcoming gravitational forces. 
To correct subluxation of the pelvis which often helps with newborn constipation and painful bowel movements. 
To encourage normal musculoskeletal growth & mobility as the newborn strengthens extensor muscle groups in the journey to standing and walking. 
To encourage a normally aligned spine and pelvis before the age where the growth center in the pelvis, vertebrea and long bones mature permanently.
 To stimulate immune system function by encouraging normal spinal segmental movement and removing unnatural interference of nervous tissue impulses especially from the gut to the brain.

Treatments include assesment of spinal segments, soft tissue, reflexes, movement patterns, and spinal correction using gentle manual or instrument techniques. Often after treatment newborns and children are much more relaxed than before treatment.

As further incentive to get your children checked, currently Chirocean offers to treat children under 12 years of age for free in conjunction with a parent’s chiropractic treatment.

Fibromyalgia

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 17:28:54 -0400

ESPAÑOL

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a condition of unknown origin but is characterized by chronic pain throughout the entire body of those who suffer the condition. Fibromyalgia is not known to be inflammatory in nature, and has been associated over and over with fatigue, headaches, numbness, cognitive issues, mood swings, dizziness, rigid painful joints, and insomnia, just to name a few. Some related conditions include chronic fatigue syndrome, altered sleep, chronic low back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular syndrome (TMJ), problems with alertness or wakefulness, and tension headaches. The combination of hormonal imbalance, neurological imbalance, emotional imbalance, and biochemical imbalance aggravate the condition.

Even though this condition is little understood, consistently recommend is a multidisciplinary approach regarding the treatment of fibromyalgia. There should be 3 main pillars to treatment for the control and management of patients with chronic pain. These areas are: Emotions, Sleep Habits, and the State of Physical Condition.

1. Emotions

Let’s begin by talking a little more in depth about what we mean by emotions affecting chronic pain. Some of the possible causes of fibromyalgia syndrome are post traumatic stress and chronic depression. Often the emotional pain and stress reported by chronic pain patients can be much more severe than the physical pain. Adding to that, the ignorance of family, friends, and society about chronic pain conditions, their causes, and their treatments only adds fuel to the fire so to speak. It is estimated that due to ignorance of the condition, there is a large undiagnosed population that are not receiving treatment at all. Due to the lack of awareness, patients suffering from these conditions are often constantly interrogated and judged by others making it even more difficult to find solutions to overcome the condition. Negative emotions of rejection, hopelessness, and isolation only make the problem worse, and are a large part of the pain cycle of fibromyalgia. If you know a person with fibromyalgia or a similar condition, it is advisable not to judge them because you cannot see feel or understood fully their condition. On the contrary, support the patient, listen to them, motivate them to continue seeking answers. These actions can greatly impact their progress in getting well faster by not contributing negatively to their condition. On the other hand, if you suffer from the condition, understand that not everyone has the capacity to understand your condition and that some opinions should be considered, and others disregarded. This way of filtering and ignoring certain opinions one way of avoiding aggravating your condition. Remember that when dealing with chronic pain, emotional mental health plays a huge role in the management of the condition. For this reason is recommended, when necessary, that patients suffering from chronic pain conditions seek advice from licensed professionals, psychologists, counselors, and/or psychiatrists to find strategies for the management of negative emotions in addition to the physical treatment modalities discussed further in this article.

2. Sleep Habits

Quality sleep is the second pillar of fibromyalgia management that we will discuss. Lack of sleep can have a significant impact in the mind and body of patients with fibromyalgia. Without adequate rest, our minds do not function well, and our bodies cannot appropriately grow and heal from trauma. For this reason patients should make sure to set aside 7-8 hours specifically for uninterrupted sleep. The best way to be successful at getting this amount of sleep is developing good habits and patterns. For example, establish your times that you’ve set aside for sleep and stick to them. Prepare your room or sleep area ahead of time and make sure you do not do any counterproductive activities immediately before sleeping; for example eating too much, eating foods that create indigestion, having stressful conversations with others, and reading our watching stressful articles or programs. These can all negatively impact your amount and quality of sleep.

3. State of Physical Condition: Nutrition and Exercise

Nutrition plays a crucial role in the treatment of fibromyalgia. The biochemical processes that occur at the cellular level are constantly breaking down and rebuilding tissues in our bodies. In many cases, patients of chronic pain conditions are inundated with pharmaceutical drugs to manage their pain. These drugs often result in toxicity for the patients tissues. Balanced nutrition can help improve metabolic processes and detoxification to mitigate dependency on medications, side effects, and weight gain. Consulting with a nutritionist can help put you on a path of knowing where you are nutritionally and show you how to nourish yourself appropriately to treat chronic pain conditions and improve overall health.

The second part of the physical condition is exercise. Fibromyalgia sufferers should note that there is no turning your back on exercise even though many patients know ahead of time that exercise may temporarily aggravate their condition. To reach a more stable condition, a patient with fibromyalgia needs to exercise. Various studies have noted that regular aerobic exercise shows improvements in pain levels and quality of life. If you have chronic pain, start to exercise regularly. You may experiment temporary muscle soreness which is normal to experience as you build and change your bodies physical state to a more healthy one. After some time doing regular exercise this soreness should diminish considerably. Patients have often said that the soreness after exercise is very different from the normal pain of fibromyalgia and is much more tolerable and manageable. Furthermore they note that when they are exercising regularly, they feel less severe overall pain.

So, How Can Chiropractic Treatments Help Fibromyalgia Patients?

Chiropractic improves the physical state of the body, the third pillar of management of fibromyalgia. One of the theories of the origin of fibromyalgia is the disorder of the central nervous system, where the signals from the body to the brain and from the brain and spinal cord are not functioning one-hundred percent as they could. Chiropractic treatments significantly improve these electrical signals and usually take effect instantly after treatment. By eliminating physical and sensory interferences in the nervous system pathways, chiropractic treatments help re-establish balance and coordination, establishing a better ability for the individual to sense and react appropriately to both environmental and internal stimuli. Chiropractic treatments also help directly in reducing the physical and mental symptoms of chronic pain by reducing muscle spasm, improving joint mobility, improving pain levels, and improving chronic fatigue. Often after receiving chiropractic treatments, the patient begins to sleep better and longer permitting their body to heal and recover from the accumulated stress of chronic pain. While you do your part to eat better, rest more, and exercise regularly, your chiropractor is working to improve the quality of the communication between your brain and body, within your brain, and within your spinal cord. Your chiropractor will meticulously check and correct the function of your joints and muscle activation patterns during each treatment session using various techniques and methods of rehabilitation to correct postural conditions and balance muscle and nerve activation. Chiropractic is an essential method of self-care appropriate for everyone, especially those with chronic pain, to improve the way your body functions, fights illness, and heals itself. Furthermore, patients typically experience a decrease in pain and discomfort, and an increase in overall vitality, optimism, improved athletic performance, and decreased risk of illness through better immune system function.

Finally, regular chiropractic treatments should be part of everyone’s self-care routine, even if you do not suffer from any (known) conditions. We invite everyone to join our practice with an initial evaluation, consultation, and xray exam to assure that you are free from spinal interference and functioning appropriately.

For fibromyalgia patients, a multidisciplinary approach will significantly help you control your condition and live a life of higher quality and balance. Don’t forget that Chirocean identifies with you and we are here to help you, serve you, and educate you about the benefits of chiropractic care and relieving chronic pain. We know it is not easy, but we encourage you not to give up in your search for treatments and your daily battle with this complicated, poorly-understood condition.

Dr. Gabriel Rivera León

Dr. Matthew Butler

10 Common Reasons to Visit a Chiropractor

Sat, 16 May 2020 17:05:27 -0400

ESPAÑOL

Aches, Pains, Stress, Headaches, Fatigue....Chiropractic can help with these symptoms and more. The following list shows 10 Common Reasons to Visit aChiropractor. Chiropractic treatments are natural. They do not use pain killers or other medications that typically cover up the problem and have addictive side affects. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms or want to prevent getting these symptoms in the future, contact Chirocean today to schedule an initial visit for you and your family.

IMMUNITY & COVID-19

Chiropractic treats parts of the spine and nervous system that control your body’s immune response. Combined with a reduction in stress, better sleep, and a more functional musculoskeletal system, the effects of chiropractic treatments can boost your body's immunity and help keep you healthy in the fight against COVID-19.

1. BACK PAIN

When the bones of the spine, called vertebrae, are slightly misaligned, this causes sore muscles and painful movement. Overtime, bad posture, athletics, pregnancy, and more, misalign the bones of the spine causing pain and instability. Chiropractors can directly help reverse this process. Left untreated, it is likely that the symptoms will get worse and lead to a greater instability and possible traumatic events in the future (ie. Lumbar disc herniations, functional scoliosis, migraines etc.). Chirocean chiropractic treatments are a great way to correct these problems, especially when they are in the early stages.

2. NECK PAIN

Your neck is the top region of your spine. It allows your head to move and protects the first part of your spinal cord as it leaves your skull. As stated above, through improper posture or movements, the vertebra of the neck will often misalign causing pain, migraines, muscle soreness, and decreased mobility. Neck pain and low back pain are intricately connected and one will exacerbate the other overtime. Modern habits including constantly looking down at a computer or cell phone are common causes of vertebral misalignments in the neck. Again, Chirocean chiropractic treatments are a great way to correct these problems, especially when they are in the early stages.

3. PAIN, NUMBNESS, AND TINGLING

If you are experiencing pain and tingling in the arms, hands, legs, feet, skin of the face, chest, or back, this may be a sign of vertebral misalignment or nerve impingement. If you notice constant numbness or tingling it is advisable to get your spine checked first. This is a common symptom seen in our practice. Chirocean chiropractic treatments will realign your spine taking pressure off spinal nerves which are often the root cause of this condition. Though there are other conditions that can cause numbness and tingling (such as vascular disorders) our doctors will determine the proper diagnosis and treatment that is right for you. When necessary, if our doctors cannot help, we will refer you to the proper health care professional.

4. HEADACHES & MIGRAINES

This is perhaps the most common reason we have for patients visiting our practice; second perhaps to low back pain. There are a few main types of headaches, but one of the most common is a cervicogenic headache. Simply put this is a headache caused by improper alignment of the vertebra in the neck. As mentioned before, Chirocean can help directly with this type of headache. Other types include stress (psychosomatic) headaches and tension headaches both of which have also been shown to be relieved by chiropractic treatments. Because headaches are a common reason for taking pain medication, chiropractic treatments may also reduce your dependance on pain medications too.

5. FATIGUE

Many people struggle with fatigue. This can be for many reasons, but generally fatigue is caused when your body is spending more energy than it is creating. Chirocean's chiropractic treatments will relax your body, realign your skeleton, and release stress. All of which have an overall effect that reduces the amount of energy your body will be spending. Also, many patients sleep better after receiving chiropractic care which allows your body to replenish and create more energy decreasing your overall fatigue.

6. LACK OF SLEEP & POOR SLEEP QUALITY

As mentioned above, when your body is in a more healthy state, you sleep better. Many people suffer from lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep. Tension or pain in the musculoskeletal system, your muscles, neck, back, hips, or general anxiety will prevent good sleep. Receiving regular chiropractic treatments will reduce muscle tension, reduce anxiety, and reduce pain. For these reasons many of our patients report immediately getting better sleep even after as little as one treatment.

7. ANXIETY & STRESS

Stress is one of the most harmful phenomena to our bodies. When our mind is not relaxed, our body's will not perform at their best. We are all constantly bombarded with stress each day. This stress directly causes muscle tension and the release of hormones that promote a state of high alertness that prevents rest and relaxation. Chiropractic treatments will directly stimulate parts of your spine that when excited, promote rest and relaxation and combat stress. Patients consistently report feeling less stress; attributed to regular chiropractic treatments.

8. INJURIES DUE TO CAR ACCIDENTS, FALLS, & OTHER TRAUMAS

Any form of trauma from a sprained ankle to a car accident causes problems to the spine and musculoskeletal system. After a fender bender or car accident, many people do not feel pain and symptoms. The symptoms are usually slow to appear, but when they do, back pain, migraines, and neck pain are at the top of the list. After a car accident, the best option is to get your spine checked by a chiropractor immediately to ensure that the tissues heal properly and quickly.

9. REDUCING THE USE OF PAINKILLERS

Chiropractic treatments are a natural approach to reducing pain, among other symptoms. If you are taking pain medications for musculoskeletal issues, it is likely that the usage of these medications can be reduced or even eliminated through chiropractic treatments. Recently, it has been widely reported the the reliance of the medical community on opioid pain medication has led to addiction and over-prescription of these medications. Chiropractic should be tried before covering up pain with these medications, risking addiction.

10. IMPROVED FITNESS & ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

When your joints are not aligned, you can't move as well. Your muscles get sore, and injury is much more likely. If you go to a gym, workout, or play any sport, chiropractic care will positively affect your performance and reduce your risk of injury or overuse. As a lifelong athlete and health advocate, I can tell you first hand that chiropractic care has been one of the most beneficial activities to my training plan.

In conclusion, the list above is not a complete list of all of the benefits of chiropractic care. However, if you suffer from one or more of these conditions, I recommend that you try chiropractic treatments and stop suffering and taking harmful pain medications. And finally, if you do not have any of these aliments, you should also consider chiropractic treatments for the prevention of these conditions. Chiropractic treatments are quick, easy, and often very relaxing. Contact Chirocean today for more information and to find out how soon you can schedule your initial visit to get started.

Dr. Matthew Butler DC & Dr. Gabriel Rivera DC

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Ginger Tea: Boost Your Immunity

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 11:58:50 -0400

These days it's of the up-most importance that our Chirocean community of patients stay home and practice the all-to-common catch-phrase "social distancing." Also, since we are staying home we must use the tools we have to raise our bodies own defenses and help our own immune systems to be as strong as possible.

There are various ways to stimulate and strengthen your body's immune defense system from home such as daily light exercise, getting adequate sleep, daily conservative chiropractic treatments, and consuming certain foods with properties that support your immunity. Since most people don't have a live-in chiropractor, it is time to focus on the other immune boosting options which most people can easily do in their home.

One nutritional option with great benefit is fresh ginger root. Ginger is widely available in supermarkets in the produce section and is very economical, and can last a couple weeks in the refrigerator. Ginger is considered a powerful anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, anti fungal, and anti-carcinogen. It also contains vitamin C, magnesium, and other beneficial minerals.

Other benefits include: nausea relief, digestive support, increased blood circulation, menstrual symptom relief, and stress reduction.

How to prepare Ginger Tea:

For 2 cups of tea,

1. Grate a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger using a cheese grater.

2. Add the grated ginger to a pot with 2-3 cups of boiling water.

3. Boil for 5-10 minutes.

3. Strain the tea into a pitcher or cup.

4. Add the juice of half of a fresh lime.

5. Add fresh organic honey to taste.

Enjoy!

Once the current threat of Corona Virus COVID-19 passes, Chirocean will again be available to provide continued routine on-site chiropractic treatments and nutritional advice to strengthen your immunity. We wish continued health and safety for all the members of our Chirocean community during these uncertain times. Remain optimistic and take prevention seriously, and remember we are here to answer any questions you may have about chiropractic, exercise, nutrition, illness, or any other topic regarding how to realize your best health, naturally.

Referencias:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23123794/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609356/

COVID-19 Precaución

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 10:41:05 -0400

Por un lapso aproximado de 2 semanas Chirocean estará restringiendo los servicios de quiropráctica “in situ”. Nos unimos a la causa de todos para combatir la crisis salubrista global que afrontan la humanidad. Estaremos atendiendo única y exclusivamente a pacientes con situaciones que ameriten de nuestra atención urgente. El siguiente párrafo explicativo es un resumen de la causa de la pandemia global a la que nos afrontamos.

¿Que es el COVID-19 o “coronavirus”?

En resumen, el coronavirus es una enfermedad infecciosa altamente contagiosa causada por el virus SARS-CoV-2. Los síntomas presentados por dicha enfermedad pueden ir desde la fiebre, la tos seca, el dolor general del cuerpo hasta severas complicaciones respiratorias que podrían causarle a la persona contagiada hasta la muerte. TODOS somos propensos a adquirir este virus ya sea por contacto directo e indirecto. La personas con mayor riesgo a no superar dicha enfermedad son las persona de edad avanzada, las inmunosuprimidas o personas con enfermedades respiratorias crónicas. Hasta el momento la mejor manera que tenemos para combatir esta enfermedad es evitando la exposición innecesaria, y siempre teniendo como prioridad la buena higiene.

Chirocean le recomienda a todos nuestros pacientes evitar las exposiciones innecesarias. Tomar en serio la cuarentena es vital para combatir la propagación del virus y así evitar que le toque la muerte a las personas y familiares con mayor riesgo a complicaciones de salud. Es responsabilidad de TODOS unirnos y cooperar para el cese de esta enfermedad y la preservación de vidas.

PARA MÁS INFO. VEASE : https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html