What is wellness?

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that wellness is: "...a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." And the National Wellness Institute says that it is "a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential."

Our Maysville chiropractors embrace and believe in these definitions and will work with you to achieve your individual wellness goals.

Maysville chiropractor’s wellness care

Wellness is not only the absence of pain or symptoms. True wellness incorporates physical, mental, social, and spiritual aspects. When all of these aspects are in equilibrium you are on the right path to full wellness.

Maysville chiropractic care focuses on the nervous system. The nervous system controls the function of your body as a complete unit. A properly functioning nervous system is the bedrock on which wellness is built. Good and regular chiropractic wellness care can result in:

• More vitality
• More endurance
• Increased nutrition awareness
• Better mental acuity
• Stronger physical core

True health and wellness is only possible with an optimally functioning nervous system.

The 6 dimensions of wellness

There are 6 dimensions of wellness:

1. Emotional wellness

Emotional wellness is about understanding your feelings and coping with stress. Self-care and stress reduction are the cornerstones of emotional wellness.

2. Environmental wellness

The earth (and you) are living organisms. Respect for other living things and the environment itself are paramount in understanding environmental wellness.

3. Intellectual Wellness

Keep an open mind when you come across new ideas and get involved in cultural and community activities. Your brain is a muscle, make it stretch along with your other muscles.

4. Occupational Wellness

Do you know anyone who really loves what they do? Do they seem healthy? Occupational wellness is about personal satisfaction and enrichment through work.

5. Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is all about maintaining a healthy body and knowing when (and how) to get help when your body breaks down. Exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep? You’re on the right track.

6. Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual wellness helps you seek meaning and purpose in your life. The National Wellness Institute says spiritual wellness follows the following tenets:

• It is better to ponder the meaning of life for ourselves and to be tolerant of the beliefs of others than to close our minds and become intolerant.
• It is better to live each day in a way that is consistent with our values and beliefs than to do otherwise and feel untrue to ourselves.

Each dimension of wellness is interconnected. Your Maysville chiropractor can help you to maintain and integrate each of them holistically and with your optimum health in mind.

If you are ever unlucky enough to be injured in a car accident you may experience a strain of your neck muscles and the surrounding soft tissue. The feeling is called whiplash and it can limit your neck movement severely.

When a vehicle is hit from the rear (or the side), the force can cause a sharp movement to your head and neck. It’s important not to ignore whiplash type injuries and to see your Maysville chiropractor as soon as possible. Fast and careful treatment is the best defense against whiplash.

Whiplash symptoms

Symptoms can be felt instantly, or take days or weeks to manifest. They can include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Loss of mobility in the neck and or shoulders
• Upper back pain

Whiplash is the common term used to describe any neck injuries from sudden impact. Your head is thrown to the side or backwards violently and vertebrae, discs, muscles, and ligaments can all be damaged.

The importance of your headrest

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and consumer reports have seen great improvements in the efficacy of headrests to prevent whiplash-related injuries in a crash, however, the IIHS also rated nearly half of all headrests as poor for cars on the road before 2006. To increase your chances of not getting whiplash follow these rules:

• Your headrest should reach at least as high as the top of your ears
• Your headrest should be no more than four inches (10 cms) from the back of your head

Other causes of whiplash

It’s not just car accidents that can cause the nasty effects of whiplash though, falling down stairs, being aggressively tackled playing football, or body checked hard into the boards in hockey could also leave you with a case of whiplash. Some comfort can be taken in the fact that most whiplash injuries are not serious and will heal fully with proper care.

A healthy neck is your best defense

Chiropractors are first and foremost primary caregivers who specialize in spinal health. Your neck muscles, tendons, and bones fall under your Maysville chiropractor’s area of expertise. Trust your chiropractor and talk about your care with them. Many people suffering from whiplash can heal quickly and be back to their daily routines in no time. Follow your chiropractor’s recommendations and treatments and it's likely you’ll have a stronger neck and better posture that will enable you to withstand injury and bounce back quicker if you ever become injured again.

Feel free to contact our team at Maysville Family Chiropractic with any questions you have.

Your sinuses are eight hollows in the bones of your forehead, cheeks, and temples that help you to breathe. If you’ve ever had a sinus cold you know they can become blocked, inflamed, and filled with mucus.

The mucus is there to trap dust and microbes, but when your sinuses become inflamed they may not drain properly leading to infection and sometimes severe pain. A condition called sinusitis often occurs when you have a cold and generally clears when the cold ends. If the blockage remains sinusitis can stick around, that’s where your Maysville chiropractor may help.

One third of sinus infections begin with a common cold. Another third are caused by allergies. The remaining third are from asthma, viruses, bacteria, and environmental allergens such as cigarette smoke and pollution.

Sinusitis symptoms can vary in severity and length and may include:

• Sleep apnea
• Breathing difficulty
• Headaches
• Snoring
• Coughing

How can Maysville Chiropractors help?

Healthy sinuses drain properly. Alleviating the stress on your nervous system can help your body work more efficiently and in turn, ensures that the bones of your skull move freely. Gentle adjustments to the spine as well as possible massage over the sinus cavities can be very helpful.

The mucous membranes of your sinuses are controlled by your brain and nervous system so the holistic nature of chiropractic care is a perfect, non-invasive, painless solution to sinusitis.

If you have any questions about how we can help you please don't hesitate to call our team at Maysville Family Chiropractic today.

The human body is designed to naturally repair itself, but it is an ability that is dependent on a healthy nervous system. Our Maysville chiropractor offers safe and painless corrections that can help your body heal faster and prevent disease.

Your spine is the key pillar of your body and performs the primary function of support, protection, and flexibility. The nerves that branch off the spinal cord communicate with specific organs. If your spine is healthy, your body can function just as it was designed.

From an economic standpoint, it benefits us all to maintain a healthy spine and body. As a society we save money if we follow good wellness techniques and programs that promote good health. An unhealthy populace is a populace that is not working to optimum levels.

Evidence Based Assessment

Lower back and neck pain are extremely common conditions that drain our health system, lead to labor hours lost, and ultimately cost a lot of money. Chiropractic care can halt this waste with careful and individualized care that improves well-being.

Yes, better surgical techniques can extend life, but as you age surgery becomes more and more fraught with danger. Non-invasive and softer approaches have a valid and important place in long-term care as the population grows. The world is getting smaller and we are living longer, Chiropractors are just one of many approaches to wellness.

For more information contact our team at Maysville Family Chiropractic today.

Children grow so quickly. As they are growing their bones and muscles are susceptible to temporary backaches, joint pain, and muscle strains. Do your part to ensure your kids never start on the long road of back-related problems and choose the right backpack for them. Our Maysville chiropractic clinic can help.

To be safe, make it a game. The simplest tool is right in your bathroom. Get out that scale and weigh. Your small child’s backpack should weigh less than 10 pounds. For a 150-pound child, 15 pounds is the recommended maximum. For a 75 pound child, 7.5 pounds is the most they should safely carry.

Over-heavy backpacks can:

• Reduce blood flow
• Lead to poor posture
• Cause headaches
• Disrupt natural curve of the middle and lower back
• Cause the spine and muscles to lean to over compensate
• Place undue stress on the lower back

Tips for choosing a backpack:

Try to get your child into the habit of wearing a backpack correctly, i.e., putting it on right and picking it up right. If you and your child follows these rules it’ll go a long way to maintain good spinal health.

• Squat or kneel to pick up the backpack
• Avoid twisting or bending picking up the backpack
• Lift with the legs (goes for everything)
• Slip it on (use a waist high table if you can)
• Always wear both straps
• Adjust the straps so the pack fits snugly
• Always use the waist straps

If you are in the market for a new backpack make sure it has all or most of the following criteria:

Two Straps

Single strapped satchels are best avoided. It makes your child uneven and places the load off center on one side of their body. Two straps balance the load on both of their shoulders.

Realistic Size

We’ve all seen that kid with the bag bigger than they are; funny as it looks it’s no laughing matter. A child’s backpack should be no bigger than the child's back and it should lie 1-2 inches below the shoulders, and no more than 4 inches below the waist.

Padded Straps

Wide shoulder straps distribute the load over more surface area and wider is better, with a minimum of two padded inches the best way to go.

Padded Back

A padded back alleviates any nasty pressure points and protects from that pencil case or game system poking the spine.

For more information contact our office at Maysville Family Chiropractic today.

Herniated disc. Slipped disc. Bulging disk. Pinched nerve. You may have heard all these terms to describe severe pain felt in the back. The fact is the worst of the bunch is the herniated disc. Our chiropractor in Maysville may be able to help.

The discs are structures that rest comfortably between your vertebrae, like gel-filled cushions or shock absorbers. A disc can herniate through a tear in the supportive ligaments surrounding one of discs. This can be caused by:

• Sudden injury
• Constant stress
• Improper lifting or twisting of the spinal column

Once the disc ruptures (or herniates), the disc material (somewhat like a jelly) inflames and exerts pressure on the spinal nerves resulting in pain. In the worst-case scenario, the material can push all the way out from between your vertebrae and press on the nerves that branch off the spinal cord.

Your Maysville chiropractor will first assess your pain to determine your course of treatment. First, it is important to determine if your reflexes are intact and communicating.

Second, your chiropractor will see if there is any loss of muscle strength and check if you have full sensory communication along numerous paths of nerves.

These important orthopedic and neurological exams can help your chiropractor determine which course of action to take next.

A herniated disc is a serious injury. If at any time your chiropractor feels that a spinal surgeon is needed you will be referred. Your chiropractor will check your posture and may order an x-ray or MRI (if necessary) to help with the diagnostic process.

Will Maysville Chiropractic care help your herniated disc?

Chiropractors do not pop a disc back in place using force, nor can a few quick treatments "fix" your herniated disc. With gentle and usually painless adjustment techniques, over time a disc can be repaired.

In 2006, a study was published in the prestigious scientific journal “Spine.” It showed excellent results for chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of disc injuries and sciatica. Go with the experts at Maysville Family Chiropractic and get the help you need.

No one ever plans to get injured, but injuries can happen at the spur of the moment and without warning. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete, a schoolteacher, a retired grandparent, or a young child, injuries are just part of life. Some of them are relatively minor and some are severe, but most need the proper treatment if you’re going to make a complete recovery. Injuries respond particularly well to chiropractic care from our Maysville chiropractic office for a number of reasons.

Common Types of Chronic Injuries

Chronic injuries that require chiropractic care generally come from one of a handful of places. They may be work-related, the result of auto accidents, injuries from sports, or wear and tear injuries from daily life.

Here is a little more detail about each one:

• Work Injuries – Injuries suffered at work can cover a wide range of both acute and chronic conditions, but two that chiropractors treat on a regular basis are back issues caused by excessive sitting and carpal tunnel syndrome. Both of these injuries respond well to chiropractic treatment and enable you to get back to work without missing much time.
• Auto Accidents – One of the main injuries suffered in auto accidents is whiplash, where the head “whips” back and then forward in a violent motion. This has the potential to cause a great deal of pain and suffering, but the ability of chiropractic treatment to heal soft tissue injuries makes it effective for whiplash and other spinal injuries caused by car accidents.
• Sports Injuries – It’s hard to find an athlete that hasn’t suffered a serious injury, or at least smaller, nagging injuries that affect performance. Many sports-related injuries consist of soft tissue trauma like sprains and strains which is why chiropractic treatment is effective. Chiropractors can also help sports injuries in the early stages when swelling and pain are the main issues.
• Wear and Tear Injuries - Injuries to the neck and back caused by everyday wear and tear are becoming more and more common as the population ages. Years of improper lifting, poor posture, stress, and the force of gravity damages discs, strains muscles and alters the natural curve of your spine. Chiropractors in Maysville are a great solution to keep your body moving well into your golden years.

Treating Causes and Not Symptoms

At its core, chiropractic treatment addresses the underlying cause of your pain which is why it so effective at dealing with injuries. No matter what type of injury it is, once the cause of the pain or loss of motion is treated the symptoms no longer exist. Chiropractic also places less stress on the body than having to undergo surgery or taking pain medications with negative side effects. The entire profession is designed to bring your body back to balance.

At Maysville Family Chiropractic in Maysville we are happy to answer any questions that you have. We look forward to being a part of your health care team.

There are many causes of headaches, and many types, but the most common headache treated by Maysville chiropractors is called the cervicogenic headache, typically brought on by poor posture or stress.

Maysville chiropractic care with gentle corrections, massage therapy, diet change, and postural advice is extremely effective in treating this kind of headache.

Diagnosis

The American Chiropractic association suggests that your Maysville chiropractor ask you to complete a headache diary consisting of:

• Day and time of the headache
• Headache location
• What the headache feels like
• What you were doing when the headache began
• How long the headache lasts
• What makes it feel better or worse

Over 150 diagnostic headache categories have been scientifically established. The most common types of headaches are:

Tension Headaches

These are sometimes referred to as chronic daily headaches. Tension headaches are caused by muscle contractions and cause mild to moderate pain. Tension headaches come and go over a period of time.

Migraines

Inflamed blood vessels and arteries literally squeeze around your brain until it hurts. You may feel nausea, increased blood pressure, and sensitivity to bright light or noise. One of the best treatments for migraines is chiropractic care.

Cluster headaches

The least common (but most severe) headache is often described as located behind the eye region. Cluster headaches can occur one to three times per day during a “cluster” period, which may last two weeks and extend as long as three months. To further complicate matters, a cluster headache may go into remission for months or years only to recur later down the line.

Organic headaches

Finally, organic headaches are the result of abnormalities in the brain and can lead to serious consequences. Only 5% of headaches are organic. It is incredibly important to go to your nearest hospital immediately if you feel:

• Sudden, sharp, severe pain
• Sudden lack of balance or falling
• Confusion
• Seizures or difficulty speaking

Chiropractic care at our Maysville chiropractic clinic can diagnose and treat problems that affect the nerves, muscles, bones, and joints of your body. At a basic level a chiropractor will gently adjust your spine. At a deeper level chiropractors are doing much more than just adjusting the spine.

Visiting a Maysville chiropractor for back pain

After your initial visit and consultation your chiropractor in Maysville will have a good idea of what your treatment plan is going to consist of. During your second visit you’ll probably be asked to lie on a table and receive the first of your gentle adjustments.

How many treatments will you need?

Maysville chiropractic treatments can range from days to several weeks depending on the severity of your condition or the results you want to achieve. Chiropractic care can also be a lifelong choice to keep you on a path of well-being and solid core strength.

Many professional athletes continue to see a chiropractor even when there is no acute pain, as regular adjustments can keep you aligned and in peak form. Chiropractors in Maysville are not just there when it really hurts; they can be in your corner frequently, keeping your body’s systems communicating at a high level and keeping muscle and bone deterioration at bay.

What causes back pain?

The back is a complex structure of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles. Damage to any of the structures can lead to back pain. Back pain has a long list of causes and we are all likely to suffer at some point in our lives from poor posture, obesity, or psychological stress. Each of these can lead to back pain.

Some tips to prevent back pain

• Maintain a healthy diet and weight
• Stretch and exercise (ask your Maysville chiropractor what is safe)
• Maintain proper posture at work
• Wear low heeled shoes

While this is not an exhaustive list of tips, it’s a good starting point on the road to optimum back health. Contact our Maysville Family Chiropractic team for more information.

Stretching and Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractic treatment from our team at our Maysville chiropractic office often includes advice on stretching and movements that can help increase blood flow. Stretching is free and can be done practically anywhere at any time. Stretching requires no special equipment, is low impact, and an important tool in your wellness regimen. Stretching keeps muscles and joints relaxed, mobile, and feeling well.

Before you start

A stiff and inflexible back limits your body’s full range of motion and can make everyday activities daunting, uncomfortable, more challenging - and at worst - extremely painful. Your chiropractor’s stretching exercises are designed to complement and work out your spine. A strong spine increases elasticity through your whole core.

Focus on relaxing the muscle

Try maintaining a calm and relaxed state of mind as you stretch. A calm and relaxed connection between your brain and your body is imperative to gain the maximum benefit from your treatment. It can be the trickiest part of any stretching, but the benefits are well worth it.

Listen to your chiropractor and stretch as many times as they suggest. Start out slowly and gradually, but stay the course. With consistent and mindful stretching you’ll feel better in no time.

Two basic back stretches to try

These are common stretches prescribed by Maysville chiropractors to ease back pain. Always consult with your chiropractor before attempting any of these exercises.

Hip Flexor Stretch

1. Kneel on right knee and place left foot flat on the floor
2. Keep your torso upright and rest your hands on your hips
3. Push your hips forward as far as you can (no pain)
4. Hold stretch in the front of your right hip. For 30 seconds
5. Switch leg positions and repeat

Pelvic Lift

1. Lie flat on back with knees bent,
2. Keep feet flat on floor (hip-width apart)
3. Keep both arms extended by sides, palms facing down
4. Lift pelvis off the floor and press hips as high as possible (no pain)
5. Squeeze buttocks and hold for 1 count
6. Slowly release hips back down to the floor 8 times slowly

To complement any stretching some low impact aerobic activity can also be added to your routine. Ask our team at Maysville Family Chiropractic for more information.