Chiropractic For Seniors Seven Outstanding Benefits

Brought to you by: Mendez Chiropractic Center

Many seniors are unaware of the outstanding benefits that are possible through regular chiropractic care. I have compiled a list of seven of the most frequent benefits that chiropractic care provides for seniors.

1. Pain Relief

Chiropractic care is one of the most effective and safest forms of health care to treat pain due to spinal related conditions. Chiropractic is so effective because most causes of spinal disorders are related to abnormalities of the spine and the surrounding soft tissue structures. Doctors of chiropractic are specifically trained to identify and treat subluxations (misalignments of the vertebrae) and their subsequent effect on the central nervous system. Anti inflammatory medication and pain relievers merely mask the symptoms and have many undesirable side effects.

2. Increased Range of Motion of the Spine and Extremities

Chiropractic care has been shown repeatedly to increase not only the range of motion of the spine but also in the extremities. Increasing a person's range of motion can positively and drastically affect lives in many ways. For some, an increased range of motion means being able to bend down to pick up their grandchildren. For others, it means they can garden without pain or get an extra 40 yards of distance out of their driver on the golf course. In many cases, an increase in range of motion immediately follows chiropractic adjustments. This is one of the reasons why many top professional sporting teams have team chiropractors.

3. Increased Balance and Coordination

Many problems in balance and coordination in the aging population have been shown to come from injury or degenerative changes to the cervical spine (neck region). Structures known as mechanoreceptors are located in the posterior (back) joints of the cervical spine and are responsible for providing the brain with essential information important for balance and coordination. Mechanoreceptors in cervical posterior joints provide major input regarding the position of the head in relation to the body. With aging, mild defects impair mechanoreceptors function and results in a loss of proprioception (sense of body awareness). With decreased proprioception, body positioning in space is impaired and the patient becomes reliant on vision to know the location of a limb. To compensate for the loss of proprioception (sense of body awareness) in the legs, the feet are kept wider apart than usual. Steps become irregular and uneven in length. As impairment increases, the patient becomes unable to compensate. With severe loss of proprioception, the patient is unable to get up from a chair or rise after a fall without assistance.

Studies have shown that chiropractic care can help restore balance and coordination by stimulating the joint receptors (mechanoreceptors) in the cervical spine. This stimulation is thought to restore or normalize joint receptor functioning which leads to improvements in balance and coordination. (Caranasos, MD, Isreal, MD. Gait Disorders in the Elderly. Hospital Practice. 1991; June 15:67-94.Guyton, MD. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 9th edition. WB Saunders, Philadelphia 1996; 714.)

4. Decreased Joint Degeneration

A subluxated (misaligned) spine is much like a misaligned wheel on an automobile. This misalignment will cause the spine (and the wheel) to wear out prematurely. Since all moving parts will eventually wear down over time, it is very important to get your spine aligned periodically. Chiropractic care decreases spinal degeneration and other arthritic changes by normalizing the spinal alignment and reducing spinal stress.

5. Increased Health and Well-Being

We commonly ask our patients what changes they notice once they are put of pain. Here are some regular responses we hear every day:
I feel great!

I can sleep through the night!

Now I can play in the garden!

I have so much energy!

Life is worth living now!

Yes, chiropractic is far more than mere pain relief.
Feeling good, staying healthy and doing the things that make us happy are what keeps us looking forward to each new day. Regular chiropractic care increase the quality of life and increase health and well being.

6. Decreased Incidence of Falling

Injuries due to falling are extremely common in the elderly population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are responsible for 90% of the 850,000 bone fractures which occur annually among Americans past the age of 65. Chiropractors reduce the risk of falls by normalizing the mechanoreceptors of the cervical spine by administering chiropractic adjustments. They also prescribe stretching and exercise programs to increase strength, flexibility, mobility, balance and coordination.

7. Keeps Seniors Out of Nursing Homes

While studying at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, I had the opportunity of meeting the president Dr. Ian Coulter. Dr. Coulter was involved with many research projects studying the benefits of chiropractic care and exercise.
In 1996, he published an interesting study in the Journal, "Topics of Clinical Chiropractic" called "Chiropractic care for the Elderly."
The key points he noted in this study were:

* 44% of those who used chiropractic care reported having arthritis compared with 66% in the non-chiropractic care group

* those who used chiropractic care were more likely to do strenuous levels of exercise

* at three years follow-up, less than 5% of those who used chiropractic care lived in a nursing home while a staggering 48% of those who did not use chiropractic care did live in a nursing home

* at three years follow-up, only 26% of those who used chiropractic care were hospitalized compared with 48% of those in the non-chiropractic group

There is no need for seniors to suffer needlessly. Chiropractic provides amazing benefits and has an outstanding record of safety and effectiveness. Ask your family and friends for a chiropractor that they recommend. Take action now and make an appointment to see if chiropractic can help you!

Talking Chiropractic on the "Dr. Phil" Show

On the morning of Feb. 23, 2012, history was made when Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, a doctor of chiropractic and the president of Parker University in Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Patrick DeFazio, a Los Angeles doctor of chiropractic, were filmed for an upcoming episode of the "Dr. Phil" show at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif.  

This was chiropractic's first appearance on the popular daytime talk show, which is broadcast on 220 television stations across the U.S. and in more than 40 countries worldwide. Nearly 21 million viewers tune in weekly to hear the advice given by Dr. Phil McGraw, a clinical psychologist with 25 years in practice, and the show's online presence is over 2 million unique viewers/followers per day.

The segment, which airs this Wednesday, March 14, began with Dr. Phil introducing Dr. Mancini as his chiropractor for 14 years and author of the book The Power of Self-Healing: Unlock Your Natural Healing Potential in 21 Days! This introduction set the stage for Dr. Mancini to talk about his book and the concepts of chiropractic. He stated that "the only way to truly fulfill your life potential is to fulfill your health potential." Dr. Mancini added that the difference between chiropractic and what he called the "sick care system" in the U.S. is that "we see patients as [people, not just diseases]."

Dr. Phil reinforced this notion, telling viewers, "I got chiropractic treatment from you [Dr. Mancini] 2 or 3 times a week." He went on to introduce his current personal chiropractor, Dr. DeFazio, who was given an opportunity to talk more about chiropractic and how it can, among other benefits, help relieve stresses on the body.
The show took an interesting turn when a man named Joe was introduced and came out in a wheelchair. Joe was only 5 years old when a drunk driver crashed into the family car, killing his father and sister, leaving both his legs paralyzed. It was clear that Joe was still very hurt and angry about the accident, particularly toward the woman who had caused him and his family so much pain.

After hearing Joe's story, Dr. Phil asked Dr. Mancini how he would approach Joe's situation using the concepts from his book. Dr. Mancini talked about the importance of chiropractic care for Joe, as well as the need to forgive the drunk driver. (At this point, the conversation addressed Joe's emotional and psychological issues, consistent with the typical focus of the program.)

As the show wound down, Dr. Phil thanked both Dr. Mancini and Dr. DeFazio for taking care of him over the years. He then thanked the audience and let them know they would each receive a copy of Dr. Mancini's book, which elicited a huge cheer from the audience.

After the show, a number of people working on the set asked about how to find a local chiropractor or remarked how much they had learned about the value of chiropractic. This was in addition to the many members of the audience who talked about chiropractic and asked Dr. Mancini to autograph their copy of his book.
This was an important positive event for chiropractic. The audience heard about chiropractic, the wellness philosophy and that Dr. Phil sees his doctor of chiropractic more than once a week. They were also taught that chiropractic can play a role in the health of everyone, including someone who is paralyzed. With its March 14 airing, a global audience will have the opportunity to learn about the power of chiropractic care.

Car Accidents and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Brought to you by: Mendez Chiropractic Center

When you woke up today, you thought this was like any other Monday. You’re on your way to work, and traffic is flowing smoother than normal.  Suddenly, someone crashes into the back end of your car and you feel your head extend back over the headrest and then rebound forwards, almost hitting the steering with your forehead. It all happened so fast. After a few minutes, you notice your neck and head starting to hurt in a way you’ve not previously felt.   When the police arrive and start asking questions about what had happened, you try to piece together what happened but you’re not quite sure of the sequence of events.  Your memory just isn’t that clear. Within the first few days, in addition to significant neck and headache pain, you notice your memory seems fuzzy, and you easily lose your train of thought. Everything seems like an effort and you notice you’re quite irritable. When your chiropractor asks you if you’ve felt any of these symptoms, you look at them and say, "…how did you know? I just thought I was having a bad day – I didn’t know whiplash could cause these symptoms!" 

Because these symptoms are often subtle and non-specific, it’s quite normal for patients not to complain about them. In fact, we almost always have to describe the symptoms and ask if any of these symptoms “sound familiar” to the patient.

As pointed out above, patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) don’t mention any of the previously described symptoms and in fact, may be embarrassed to discuss these symptoms with their chiropractor or physician when they first present after a car crash.  This is because the symptoms are vague and hard to describe and, many feel the symptoms are caused by simply being tired or perhaps upset about the accident.  When directly asked if any of these symptoms exist, the patient is often surprised there is an actual reason for feeling this way.

The cause of MTBI is due to the brain actually bouncing or rebounding off the inner walls of the bony skull during the “whiplash” process, when the head is forced back and forth after the impact. During that process, the brain which is suspended inside our skull, is forced forwards and literally ricochets off the skull and damages some of the nerve cells most commonly of either the brain stem (the part connected to the spinal cord), the frontal lobe (the part behind the forehead) and/or the temporal lobe (the part of the brain located on the side of the head). Depending on the direction and degree of force generated by the collision (front end, side impact or rear end collision), the area of the brain that may be damaged varies as it could be the area closest to initial impact or, the area on the opposite side, due to the rebound effect. Depending on which part of the brain is injured, the physical findings may include problems with walking, balance, coordination, strength/endurance, as well as difficulties with communicating (“cognitive deficits”), processing information, memory, and altered psychological functions.

The good news is that most of these injuries will recover within 3-12 months but unfortunately, not all do and in these cases, the term, “post-concussive syndrome” is sometimes used.

Chiropractic Care Is Effective For Fibromyalgia

Brought to you by: Mendez Chiropractic Center

For years, chiropractic has been considered as alternative medicine. Even so, chiropractic is becoming more and more accepted by the mainstream medical community. Twenty percent of American adults have used chiropractic at some point of their lives. Medical doctors and surgeons now work closely with chiropractors. Most people that use chiropractic have reported good improvement with pain reduction and better function.

Chiropractic is based on the idea that symptoms and illness can be caused by imbalance to the body's skeletal structure and nervous system. Chiropractors look at the body as a whole, rather than just treating symptoms. They see all systems of the body as being connected and affecting each other. All systems of the body rely on a properly functioning nervous system. It is well known by health care professionals that the nervous system is the master system in the body and literally controls every cell and organ in the body.

When there is proper balance to the skeletal and nervous system of the body, persons are more likely to have health and wellness. They are more likely to have a higher quality of life. Even a slight imbalance to the skeleton and nerve system can result in pain and illness. Chiropractors are specially trained to locate and correct imbalances to the skeletal structure. Through special adjusting techniques, they can realign misaligned spinal bones and restore proper function to the nervous system.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that results in several tender points throughout the body that often result in neck pain, back pain and pain in the limbs. To help reduce these symptoms, many people with fibromyalgia are seeking chiropractic care. Specific chiropractic adjustments help to restore proper motion and function of the musculoskeletal system. Problems of the musculoskeletal system are known to trigger symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Many people suffering from fibromyalgia have significant pain reduction with chiropractic adjustments.

Fibromyalgia is thought to involve turmoil to the central nervous system. This is known as central sensitization which results in hypersensitivity to the nervous system. When there is interference to the nervous system, a person's overall health and wellness is adversely affected. Chiropractors are well trained to help remove interference to the nerves making them a great option for fibromyalgia sufferers.
Chiropractors help correct imbalance to the nervous system by performing specific hands on adjustments to the spine. When bones of the spine become misaligned, it can result in pressure on nerves.

Chiropractors correct the alignments to help remove the pressure on the nerves. As motion and function improve, fibromyalgia sufferers experience significant reduction in pain. Other problems of fibromyalgia such as depression, fatigue and sleep problems also diminish.

7 Key Reasons To Seek Chiropractic Care

Chiropracticis a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. Those that use chiropractic care regularly recommend it highly for a variety of reasons. Here are the seven best reasons to find a chiropractor when you aren't feeling your very best.

1. Chiropractic Has Been Proven Safe

Chiropractic is one of the safest therapies available if you are suffering from any neuromusculoskeletal issues such as back, neck, joint, or head pain.

What exactly does safe mean? If you want to talk numbers, then the risk of injury is 1 in 286,000,000, or 0.0002%. Compare that to standard treatments such as medication and surgery where the risk of injury is 1 in 1428. That's right - chiropractic manipulation is that much safer, and as you'll learn later in this report, more effective as well.

The most common issue involving chiropractic isn't an injury at all. It is simply some mild soreness after adjustment. Think about how your muscles feel if you've done something you don't normally do. You feel sore because your muscles, bones, and ligaments have moved in ways they are not used to moving. This is what happens during a chiropractic adjustment but on a minor scale. Any soreness you feel will be gone within 24 hours and most patients feel immediately better with no soreness whatsoever.

Why is chiropractic so safe? There are four main reasons:

Chiropractors have years of schooling with coursework that includes classes on all aspects of the spine.
Chiropractors have been trained, doing clinical work long before becoming licensed.
Chiropractors continue their education long after graduation, completing courses yearly in order to maintain a license to practice.
Finally, and most importantly, a chiropractor's basic philosophy is that the body is capable of healing itself. The purpose of a chiropractor is simply to remove the subluxations, or blockages, that occur in spine so that the body can do its job.
Chiropractic is so safe that agencies unassociated with chiropractic tout its benefits. For instance, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, found that complications are rare. Not only that, they suggest that chiropractic should be used before surgery is considered. And finally, they state that prescription drugs are not recommended for most back pains.

2. Chiropractic Has Been Proven Effective for Pain
If you have pain, chiropractic may be just what you need. Studies in the United States and other parts of the world show that chiropractic manipulations are effective. One study in California found that chiropractic was effective 86% of the time for general lower back pain.

But what of acute lower back pain? A report released by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research recommended chiropractic as the best treatment for this ailment. A study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Jefferson County (Missouri) Rehabilitation Centre showed that there was immediate improvement when chiropractic was used to treat acute low back pain.

Study after study has been conducted and study after study has concluded that spinal adjustment is superior to other treatments for acute pain. But chiropractic is beneficial to more than just general, chronic, or acute lower back pain.

Patients of chiropractic seek help for neck pain or discomfort as well. In fact, 19% of patients report neck pain at the first consultation. This pain is usually caused by accident or injury but can also be brought on by every day living.

The modern medical treatment for neck pain is either immobilization or physical therapy. However, studies have shown that spinal adjustments are more effective. For instance, a study done in the Netherlands observed patients receiving one of the three treatments. They found that spinal adjustments improved overall physical functioning more than the other treatments.

Beyond the back and neck, patients often seeks chiropractic care for headaches, including migraines. For chiropractic patients, migraines are often reduced or resolved without using pain killers or other prescription medications. A study was published by chiropractic doctors at University of Odense and the Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and clinical Biochemist in Denmark showing that spinal adjustments and soft tissue therapy allowed for steady improvement.

Many people understand the role of chiropractic in the back, neck, and head because chiropractors are seen as "back doctors." However, chiropractic has proven effective for many other conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, infantile colic, and much more.

For pain associated with a variety of conditions, chiropractic is proven effective, often more effective than modern medical treatments. Coupled with the safety of chiropractic, it should be your first choice when dealing with pain.

3. Chiropractic is Less Invasive and Drug Free

If you go to a medical doctor due to neck and back pain, you are likely to be given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, known as NSAIDS. Although these drugs are given out regularly, they do have significant risks t hat are far greater than the typical issue, soreness, seen with chiropractic.

NSAID risks include:

Allergic reactions, some of which can be life threatening
Hives or rashes
Increased risk of heart attack
Increased risk of stroke
Gastrointestinal issues such as bleeding or ulcers
Cancer
Another typical treatment is bed rest. But this, too, can cause problems such as muscles atrophy, heart and lung weakness, bone loss, and blood clots.

Let's not forget surgery. Surgery is used for neck and back pain whenever painkillers and bed rest don't work and the risks of surgery are great. They include:

Breathing issues due to anesthesia - a patient can quit breathing entirely
Blood loss leading to transfusions
Cardiovascular risks such as heart attack or stroke

Scar tissue
Pain
Infection
Blood clots
Lung collapse
Injury to other areas of the body
Paralysis
Numbness and tingling of parts of the body
Swelling and bruising
And even death
Chiropractic has none of these risks because it is not invasive. There is no cutting on the body and there is no medication prescribed. To avoid the risks associated with NSAIDS and surgery, chiropractic is an excellent choice.

4. Chiropractic is Less Disruptive to Your Lifestyle

Chiropractic is done on an outpatient basis and has easy recovery, often less than 24 hours of minimal soreness. Consider this in comparison to the recovery of surgery.

After any surgical procedure, the body needs time to repair tissues damaged during the surgery so that the body can return to normal. Surgical recovery is a process that can take time, often long periods of time requiring medication and bed rest. In fact, pushing yourself too hard after surgery will cause setbacks and make your recovery time longer.

Chiropractic, on the other hand, has limited recovery time. At most, chiropractic patients may feel some mild soreness in the area of the manipulation. This soreness is typically gone in a matter of hours, not days or weeks as with surgery.

Additionally, surgical patients that are older, out of shape, overweight, or generally in poor health will take far longer to heal and be ready for every day life. Although different factors will dictate how quickly you are pain free, the ability to resume your lifestyle happens quickly with most patients, often with as little as one manipulation.

5. Chiropractic is Less Expensive

In August 1999, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBS) of Kansas presented a study titled "Lumbago Treatment." When viewed per treatment episode, chiropractic was shown to be more cost effective than anesthesiology, neurosurgery, neurology, registered physical therapy, orthopedic reconstructive surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and rheumatology.

Why so cost effective? Medical doctors and physical therapists rely on:

Referrals
Prescriptions
Surgery
MRIs
CT scans
Hospitalization
Over 50% of the charges are simply for diagnostic procedures and not for actual pain relief.

On the other hand, the majority of chiropractic expense comes from office based treatment with less than 10% of costs arising from diagnostics, typically in the form of spinal x-rays.

A study in the May 2007 Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics showed that chiropractic resulted in a 60.2% reduction in hospital admissions, 59.0% reduction in hospital days, 62.0% reduction in outpatient surgeries and procedures, and 83% reduction pharmaceutical costs when compared with conventional medicine.

By reducing these items, overall costs associated with chiropractic care are significantly less than that of traditional medical care.

6. Chiropractic Helps With Injuries Due to Accidents

Chiropractic is beneficial in treating various injuries such as sprains, pulled muscles, and joint problems due to auto, sports, work, and everyday injuries. The most common injuries due to accidents are:

Whiplash
Lower back misalignment
Upper back and neck misalignment
Repetitive motion injuries
Whiplash is the sudden movement that causes distortions to the neck. This type of sudden movement often happens during a car crash, even one at very low speeds. Although you may not initially feel any pain, the vertebrae that move out of place will eventually cause problems with the nerves and cause you pain from misalignment or subluxations. Medical doctors prescribe pain meds and bed rest for whiplash, which may be good for a day or two, but not for the long run. There is no way to remain in bed indefinitely nor is it possible to function regularly on pain medications. A chiropractor will help you with the cause of the problem rather than help you manage the symptoms.

Lower back misalignment can happen suddenly or over a long period of time. For instance, you can improperly lift something heavy resulting in immediate back pain, or you can simply have poor posture that results in back pain over time. The misalignment causes subluxations that can be corrected using chiropractic.

Lower back pain is made up of several different low back problems including:

Vertebral subluxations
Injured discs
Muscle strain
Ligament sprain
Scoliosis
Sciatica
And more.
The ability to correct injuries holds true for the upper back and neck as well.

Repetitive Motion Injuries are a fast growing source of pain in the United States often associated with the workplace, particularly sitting at a computer terminal for long periods of time. Repetitive motion injuries cause less oxygen to get into the muscles and this causes scar tissue to develop. Chiropractic releases the subluxations causing the pain.

So, whether your pain is from a car accident or merely sitting incorrectly at work, chiropractic is a way for you to feel better fast.

7. Chiropractic: Because You Live, Move, and Breathe

Because you are alive and move about, you are sure to cause a misalignment of your spine at one time or another. Simple movements such as sitting or bending can cause problems. So can walking, running, stretching, and lifting. In fact, any movement can create a subluxation and subluxations cause pain when left alone. So, if you move, then you can benefit from chiropractic.

Whether you are out running every day or see yourself more as a couch potato, chiropractic can be beneficial to you. It is the most effective natural healthcare available. And, as you've learned, it is safe, effective, non-invasive, inexpensive, and great for any injuries you may have. If you live, move, or breathe, you should have a doctor of Chiropractic as a member of your personal health care team.

How to Improve your Sleep

Brought to you by: Mendez Chiropractic Center

An old Chinese proverb states, "Only when one cannot sleep does one know how long the night is." Anyone who's ever experienced an occasional bout with insomnia—and that's most of us—can relate to this all too well.

In fact, surveys have shown that between 40 and 60 percent of the general population has trouble sleeping. Daily stress and worries, pressures from job and family, body aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows, and a host of other issues can keep a person from getting enough quality sleep.

Sleep is critical to good health and functioning, so lack of it is a serious matter. "Sleep is one of the most important functions of the brain," says Frederick R. Carrick, DC, PhD, president of the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Neurology. Through it, our bodies recharge and renew for the next day's challenges.

As wellness experts, doctors of chiropractic can provide patients with a different approach to their sleeping problems-without the use of sleeping pills, which leave many people in a mental haze the next morning. To start, here are a few helpful tips they would recommend for the sleepless in Seattle (or any city, for that matter):
Exercise regularly. Exercising in the morning is best, but if you must exercise in the evening, do so at least two or three hours before bedtime. Any later, and your increased heart rate can interfere with your sleep.

Limit your intake of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, colas and tea-try to avoid them altogether late in the day and near bedtime. In addition, for each cup of caffeinated beverages you drink each day, drink an equal amount of water.

If you have trouble sleeping and then get thirsty, drink tap water at room temperature (cold water may disturb the digestive system).

Eat an early dinner. Eating after 6 p.m. may interfere with sleep as your body works to digest the food you've eaten.

Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning. The routine will help your body know when it is time to rest.

Keep your bedroom at a cool, comfortable temperature and try to make it as dark as possible when you're ready for bed.

Creating a comfortable place to sleep by choosing the correct mattress and pillow is also essential to getting the quality sleep that your body needs to function at its best.

A mattress, for instance, should support the body's weight evenly and allow the spine to stay in its natural alignment. Choosing the right one is a personal matter. "There are a wide variety of comfort preferences. It's very subjective," says Brian Darcy, operations manager for Springwall, the manufacturer of premium-quality Chiropractic® sleep sets that ACA has endorsed for the past 38 years. Give your mattress a good trial run before you buy it. Darcy recommends lying down on a mattress for a minimum of three to five minutes to get a good feel. Sitting on it simply won't do.

Useful mattress facts...
A mattress should provide uniform support from head to toe. If there are gaps between your body and your mattress (such as at the waist), you're not getting the full support that you need.

If you do have back pain and your mattress is too soft, you might want to firm up the support of your mattress by placing a board underneath it. But do this just until the pain goes away; such firmness is not good for "routine" sleeping.

Every few months, turn your mattress clockwise, or upside down, so that body indentations are kept to a minimum. It's also good to rotate the mattress frame every so often to reduce wear and tear.

If you're waking up uncomfortable, it may be time for a new mattress. There is no standard life span for a mattress; it all depends on the kind of usage it gets.

Be aware that changes in your life can signal the need for a new mattress. For example, if you've lost or gained a lot of weight, if a medical condition has changed the way you sleep, or even if you have changed partners, it could mean that it's time to find a new mattress that will accommodate those changes and help you sleep more soundly.

If you're not in the market for a new mattress, and your current mattress is too firm, you can soften it up by putting a 1- to 2-inch-thick padding on top of it - usually available at mattress and bedding stores.


Next, pillow talk... 

After investing in a quality mattress, don't forget to choose an equally supportive pillow, advises Peter Mckay, DC, who is in private practice in San Diego and also works as a consultant for Innovative Choices, the maker of the Therapeutica Pillow-another ACA-endorsed product. "People will spend thousands of dollars on a mattress and then skimp on a pillow that doesn't support their head and neck properly," he observes. A good pillow will keep the cervical (neck) section of the spine aligned with the thoracic and lumbar (chest and lower back) sections. "[The sections] move together and should be supported together."
When choosing a pillow, be selective. When lying on your side, your head and neck should remain level with your mid and lower spine. When lying on your back, your head and neck should remain level with your upper back and spine. In other words, your pillow should not be so thick that it causes your head and neck to be propped up or angled sharply away from your body.

Be wary of pillows that are made out of mushy foam materials. The weight of your head can displace this kind of foam, leaving little support. Choose firmer foam and materials that press back and support the head.

If you find yourself sleeping on your side with one hand propped under your pillow, that's a clue that you're not getting the support you need from that pillow.

There is no such thing as a universal fit when it comes to pillows. Find one that is consistent with the shape and size of your body.


Chiropractic Care Can Help...
If you continue to experience pain and discomfort at night or have difficulty falling asleep, visit your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to treat spinal problems that can interfere with a restful night's sleep. They can also offer nutritional and ergonomic advice that can help improve the quality of your sleep.

Improving Creative thinking through Chiropractic

Brought to you by: Mendez Chiropractic Center

Creative thinking is one of the greatest human assets in that it initiates new thoughts and world changing ideas. Creativity is the ability to generate ideas of both novel and useful form to a particular social setting. Innovative thoughts inspire excitement and unlock the depths of human potential. New research has shown that chiropractic adjustments significantly improve the creative thought process.

Life is dull, bland and stale without the ability to be creative. The unrestricted human mind has the ability to solve problems with new ideas that build off of the latest technology of the day. In fact, nearly every problem mankind has ever faced has been solved by a new, more creative way of thinking and living.

Real World Implications for Creative Thinking

Professional athletes have big incentives to perform at an elite level every time they participate in their sport. Business people, doctors, scientists and others have incentive to perform at their highest level every time they step foot into their specific arena. The ability to think quickly and innovatively is one of the characteristics that allows these individuals to have extraordinary success in their field. These characteristics also allow these professions to evolve to a higher level.

Therapies and ergonomic aids such as caffeine, herbs, and medications have been used for many years to help individuals perform better in their particular field. Performance aids that benefit the individual with very low risk of danger, side effects or addiction are valuable commodities.
A recent study showed that chiropractic adjustments positively affected creative thinking. The pilot study was published in the June 2010 edition of the Chiropractic Journal of Australia.

This study used the "alternative uses test" to measure creative abilities pre/post adjustment. The alternative uses test has the individual write down as many uses for a specific object as possible during a ten minute period. An example would be to name all the different ways one could use a newspaper, a chair, or a shoe.

Pre-testing using the alternative uses test was performed in the beginning on all ten research participants. Then each of these participants was assessed for subluxation. Subluxation is "a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health."

Following the assessment the subjects were administered a chiropractic adjustment. The adjustment is defined as, "A maneuver in a specific vector, velocity, intensity of force and point of application that is intended to assist the body in restoring normal tone by correcting subluxation in whole or in part." After the adjustment, the subjects performed another version of the alternative uses test.

Chiropractic Improved Real World Creative Tasks

The subjects were then interviewed two to eight days later after the adjustment to measure lasting effects on creativity. Six of the ten participants experienced a significant post-adjustment improvement in their performance on the alternative uses test. The follow up interviews showed an even stronger result. Seven of the ten individuals indicated they had new directions in a real world creative task. Six individuals claimed to have renewed energy towards a creative project they had already planned. Meanwhile, none of the subjects interviewed said they noticed less energy or creative thinking since the adjustment.

This study indicates that a majority of individuals had improvement in real world creative tasks for two to eight days post adjustment. With the profound implications that the results suggest, it seems appropriate to allocate substantial research dollars to look more in-depth at the ability of chiropractic adjustments in improving creative thinking.