San Diego Chiropractor

As a Chiropractor in San Diego, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you decide to add a little more “stretch” to the fabric in your wardrobe, there are some things that you should know regarding those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over the years, they can add up to a large number of health issues from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back problems and joint degeneration. Extra pounds put undue stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. A shocking 62% of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant percentage and a truly gigantic problem (no pun intended).

Though we try to pretend otherwise, most of us know that the human body has not evolved to transport overplus poundage in the form of body fat. Just an additional 20 or 30 pounds can, in point of fact, overload and even overwhelm the musculoskeletal system. Extra weight in the tummy, for example, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This angle produces compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression impedes nerve activity and causes painful inflammation. Most men and women who have a “spare tire”suffer from low back pain generated by  a pinched sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that restrict nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If left untreated, misaligned vertebra not only persist in irritating the degenerative changes that have already taken place, but can create new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.

You’ll be happy to hear that chiropractic treatment can help. Perhaps, it should go without saying that a moderate body weight is essential in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform in the way it is built to. That said, in addition, chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve restrictions in the vertebral column and help to get movement back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the low back, hips, and knees. And, certainly exercise and physical activity are a lot easier, and healthier for the body, when the spine is in alignment and the joints have good motion. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually inhibit degenerative changes as the body ages.

It is always a good idea to talk over your diet and exercise alternatives with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. In addition to helping men and women suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors offer qualified guidance regarding the particular lifestyle corrections that can help an individual to stay healthier, more vigorous, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility are an unpreventable part of the aging process. The human body was designed for a lifetime of pain-free movement.

So, if those extra pounds have been sneaking up on you, and they’ve turned into a surprising load of pain, as your San Diego chiropractor and someone who understands, I can help. Make an appointment today!

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Seeing a chiropractor in San Jose is genuinely among the very best things that you can do to assist your arthritis and back pain. Chiropractors are doctors who focus exclusively on working on the musculoskeletal system, and arthritis is a joint condition. Chiropractic assistance has aided many people in decreasing the process of arthritis by getting their joints moving. Movement is crucial for joint health. A good chiropractor is very knowledgeable in caring for back pain, even when it is because of arthritis

If you have never gone to a chiropractor in the past, you could be somewhat concerned about what will happen once you are in the office. It may be beneficial to offer a quick overview of what you can anticipate. You may be asked about your medical history, that will most probably include a family account of arthritis. The chiropractor is likely to ask about your daily diet and lifestyle and may suggest explicit changes that may be very helpful in reducing the inflammation attributable to arthritis. And, lastly, you will receive a in depth examination. After the assessment is done, the chiropractor will let you know if chiropractic assistance can assist your lumbar pain, and also eliminate your debilitating arthritic symptoms. visit Then you will learn about the actual course of action you will should have.

A chiropractic adjustment relieves pain safely and organically, and it is a painless procedure. And, the most terrific factor of going to a chiropractor for your lumbar pain and arthritis is that you can feel positive that the source of your pain is being attended to, and that the relief you experience has not been masking the warning sign of pain, but authentically eliminating the origin of your problem.

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It probably goes without saying that as we age our body doesn’t feel or respond the same way as it did when we were younger. It hardly seems right that our body seems to become less “cooperative,” while our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive.” We’re stiff when we get out of bed; many of the activities we do during the day make us sore in the evening; and, if we’re not mindful, even a motion as simple as turning too quickly or reaching down to pick up a dropped piece of paper, can cause our back or some other muscle group to go into spasm. The good news is that there is natural treatment available that is not only beneficial in slowing down the aging process of the body, but can aid us in avoiding some of those problems completely.

Take arthritis for example. In point of fact, barring pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine fails to take care of this age-related affliction. What is the basis for such a limited approach? It is because most medical professionals treat the symptoms of arthritis. Chiropractic management, on the other hand, not only relieves the pain of arthritis, naturally, without drugs, but it addresses the source of the condition and eliminates it.  For more than one hundred years, chiropractors, like your Santa Clara Chiropractor, have been caring for people suffering from back pain and other problems produced by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.

Arthritic changes take place as your body ages because, over time, degeneration of various joints takes place as the result of repetitive stresses, and years of poor gait, bad posture, and insufficient movement. Chiropractic adjustments bring back motion into your joints and decrease any vertebral misalignments that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition to causing arthritic changes in the spine and increasing pain, did you know that misaligned vertebra can also lower your resistance and immunity? It’s an irrefutable fact, and this might be one of the reasons why it may seem that as you age you develop more health issues and that it often takes longer for you to feel better again. According to research done on older individuals, those who received regular chiropractic care stayed healthier. In fact, you could say that, as you get older, chiropractic treatment is good for what ails you!

Chiropractors are highly proficient when it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, from the small, growing frame of an infant to the full-grown body of a mature adult.  Your chiropractor is experienced in working with the aging process  of the body and has exceptional observational and diagnostic skills that assist in detecting spinal misalignments and joint degeneration. A chiropractic examination can, in fact, often reveal certain age-related changes before they’ve had a chance to create noticeable pain. Moreover, your Santa Clara Chiropractor can check your posture and analyze your gait to determine if there are any faulty patterns that might create more arthritic changes in the future.

So, if you have been feeling your age lately, and you’d like to feel a whole lot better, call your Santa Clara Chiropractor today!

Dr. David Hoewisch is a chiropractor in Santa Clara, CA with over 25 years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1221 Lafayette St., Santa Clara, CA, 95050. Dr. Hoewisch has traveled around the world and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. He is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and learned sign language at an early age. He treats many deaf patients in his clinic. For more information go to his website at http://www.santaclarachiropractor.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Hoewisch

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Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care

The most common form of arthritis has many names: osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), and spondylosis if it is in the spine. This form of arthritis is not limited to humans, but occurs in all mammals, and is due to the breakdown of the cartilage that covers the joint surfaces. Degenerative changes in the joint occurs when joint cartilage is harmed and causes stress to the sensitive bone tissue that is ordinarily guarded by the cartilage. Sometimes the bone around the joint will proliferate and make osteophytes, or what are often called bone spurs. These spurs can create painful irritation to other tissues around the joint, in this way complicating the already painful condition.

Degenerative joints most often occur in the lower neck and lower back, the knees, hips, and fingers. Previous trauma, certain occupations and activities, weight, diet, and heredity all appear to affect both the onset and severity of DJD.

Pain and/or stiffness in the affected joints are primary indicators of DJD. If the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips or knees are involved, ones mobility can be affected notably in the more advanced stages of the condition.  As a last resort joints can be surgically replaced with synthetic devices. This should be done only in severe cases where the joint is appreciably worn and movement is unattainable without severe pain.

Prevention is unquestionably the best option, beginning at an early age.

* Making sure that all injuries to joints are appropriately treated will help to avoid future problems.
* Shoes with proper support and shock absorption should be worn by those whose jobs require extended periods of standing or walking.
* Excess body weight can create increased stress upon the weight bearing joints of the body.

* Care should be taken to guard knees from pain aad strain when kneeling on hard surfaces.

* Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables as they have natural vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are crucial for the health of the joints, as well as the rest of the body.

Recently there have been some studies that offer proof that the nutritional supplement, Glucosamine, can help with DJD and can possibly help rebuild joint cartilage. However, it must be used over a long-term period and does not work in all conditions.

Chiropractic adjustments help to restore proper mobility and function to the spinal joints. Chiropractic care is not only safe, but extremely effective in relieving the debilitating pain of arthritis. Your Chicago chiropractor is highly trained when it comes to arthritic pain relief. Other forms of chiropractic care may include joint mobilization, massage, ultrasound, cold laser, or electro-therapy, all of which may be helpful in the relief of painful and stiff joints. Occasionally, a brace is required to stabilize the joint and relieve pain. A chiropractor may suggest exercises such as stretching, yoga, tai chi and other gentle mobilizing activities to help maintain arthritic joints.

Gout

An elevated level of uric acid in the blood and the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints produce gouty arthritis. The most common joints are the big toes, the knees, ankles and wrists, and is often characterized by excruciating pain and swelling. Most people who develop gout are predisposed through heredity, though episodes are generally brought on by binge eating of the wrong foods, when dehydrated or fasting, or after a major surgery or illness. Foods that must be avoided include a natural substance called Purines that are metabolized in the liver to form uric acid. People with this condition cannot effectively metabolize uric acid, thus the proliferation in the bloodstream and the subsequent joint problems. The foods most associated with high purine content are: red meat especially organ meat, certain seafood, legumes, mushrooms and other foods as well. There are other dietary restrictions that must be followed including refraining from drinking alcohol.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of systemic origin. The principal cause is not known, but it is thought to be due to a problem with the immune system. The most common joints affected are the small joints of the hands and fingers, the feet, knees, and shoulder, though other areas of the body can be affected as well. The condition is most often associated with morning stiffness that is aggravated by motion. Often people complain of general malaise and fatigue, and the disease in its more advanced forms can affect many of the other body systems. Rheumatoid arthritis can be easily identified through specific blood tests. Though, currently, there is no cure, in addition to medication and vitamin and diet therapy, treatment should include chiropractic adjustments to mobilize joints and help to relieve the pain and stiffness prevalent in this disease. Additional modalities such as ultrasound, heat, electro-therapy, and massage may also be helpful. Your Chicago chiropractor is dedicated to assisting people in getting relief from the pain and suffering associated with arthritis.

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San Diego Chiropractor: Chiropractic and Arthritis

Do you have back pain due to arthritis? Do you also have a problem with your weight?  If so, it’s conceivable that you’re having back pain not only due to arthritis, but also as the eventuality of the strain your weight is putting on your spine.  The body was not intended to carry around extra weight in the form of body fat.  Your spine, which supports your body, is being put under a lot of strain even if you are only carrying an extra 20 or 30 pounds all the time. This type of stress can created abnormalities of the vertebral column. These misaligned vertebra can generate arthritic changes in the spine and persist in causing inflammation to the degenerative changes that have already taken place. In addition, your body may compensate in other ways, for instance your hips moving forward or tilting to accommodate the extra weight.  This can compress the sciatic nerve, which is intensely painful.

A current survey by the NPD Group, a leading market research company based in Rosemont, Ill., shows that about 62% of men and women and 34% of adolescents are overweight or obese. The pervasiveness of arthritis escalates with accumulating weight. Research implies that cultivating a healthy weight decreases the risk of developing arthritis in the first place and may decelerate disease progression. A loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis and would do a great deal to decrease back pain as well.

A good diet and regular exercise is definitely necessary for an individual who is sincere about overcoming their back pain, knee pain, and joint pain in other places in the body.  Even though you have probably been advised about this for the majority of your life, it truly is the only way for you to stop suffering and regain your life.

First of all, let’s talk about the subject of dieting.  Most diets (and there are plenty from which to choose) can be temporarily useful.  Obviously, if you were to lose weight for keeps, the diet industry would lose a good customer!  Eating a balanced diet (as a lifestyle choice as opposed a temporary fix) and cutting your calories so that you are at a slight calorie “deficit,” is the only method of losing weight in a healthy, permanent way.  Don’t try to lose 20 pounds every week because that is an unhealthy and perilous fix. A healthy weight loss rate is about 2 pounds every week in order for it to be truly effective.

Research has proved that exercise and physical activity not only reduces pain and augments function, but truly delays disability. Make sure you get a minimum of one-half hour of moderate physical activity at least 3 days a week. You can get activity in 10-minute intervals.

Chiropractic treatment is a proved way to get mobility back in the joints of your spine and other areas of, and can be a good first step prior to starting an exercise program. A spine in alignment makes exercise and physical activity much easier and actually slows down arthritic degenerative changes. The Annals of Internal Medicine released the results of a survey of 232 people who were under a rheumatologist’s care for their arthritis.  Of those people, 63% replied to the survey by stating that they were using some type of “complementary care” as named by the study.  Of those individuals, 31% were utilizing chiropractic. Undoubtedly the most impressive statistic was that 73% of those trying chiropractic found it beneficial.  Explaining why they’d tried the non-medical chiropractic care, those surveyed offered a number of reasons: 1) to reduce pain, 2) they’d been told that it helps, 3) they felt certain that it is safe, 4) it had helped someone they knew, and 5) because their prescription medication wasn’t working.

Chiropractors, also called doctors of chiropractic, have been helping individuals suffering from back pain due to arthritis in addition to other arthritic problems for over a hundred years. Your San Diego chiropractor treats misaligned vertebra that, in addition to creating arthritic pain and degenerative changes in the spine, can weaken resistance and immunity, thus causing new health challenges.

It is always smart to visit a health care professional to talk about diet and exercise. If you want to find qualified advice on the type of lifestyle changes that you will need to assist you in managing your arthritis, your chiropractor will be very happy to assist you. Moreover, in addition to correcting any misalignments in your spine, your chiropractor will diagnose any faulty gait patterns or posture irregularities that may be compounding your arthritic pain.

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Chicago Chiropractor and Arthritis

Introduction

One of the most widely misunderstood conditions among patients is arthritis..Often the word, “arthritis,” brings to mind a future that includes crippled and twisted joints.  However “arthritis” is a very general word that includes many different conditions from the benign to the severe. For our purposes we will confine this analysis to the most common forms of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care

The most common form of arthritis has many names: osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), and spondylosis if it is in the spine. This form of arthritis is not limited to humans, but occurs in all mammals, and is due to the deterioration of the cartilage that protects the joint surfaces. Degenerative changes in the joint happens when joint cartilage is injured and causes stress to the sensitive bone tissue that is usually guarded by the cartilage. Sometimes the bone around the joint will proliferate and make osteophytes, or what are familiarly called bone spurs. These spurs can create painful irritation to other tissues adjacent to the joint, in this way complicating the already hurtful condition.

As a rule areas of the body that develop degenerative joints are in the spine, especially in the lower neck and lower back, the knees, the hips and the fingers. Everyone may experience DJD at one point in their lives, though previous trauma, ones occupation, activities, weight, diet, and heredity impact the degree of the condition and its onset.

Pain and/or stiffness in the affected joints are primary indicators of DJD. If the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips or knees are involved, ones mobility can be affected especially in the more advanced stages of the condition.  As a last resort joints can be surgically replaced with synthetic devices. This should be done only in severe cases where the joint is sufficiently worn and movement is intolerable due to severe pain.

The best management of DJD is, of course, prevention that involves taking care of ones joints at an early age.

• One should always guarantee that, especially when young, all injuries to joints are correctly managed to insure proper healing to avoid future disability.
• Shoes with good support and shock absorption should be worn by those whose jobs demand extended periods of standing or walking.
• Weight loss through proper diet will help to decrease stress on weight-bearing body joints.

• Care should be taken to cushion knees from pain aad strain when kneeling on hard surfaces.

• Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables as they have natural vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are vital for the health of the joints, as well as the rest of the body.

Recently there have been some studies that show that the nutritional supplement, Glucosamine, can help with DJD and may actually help rebuild joint cartilage. However, it must be used over time and does not work in all conditions.

Chiropractic adjustments aid in the restoration of proper mobility and function to the spinal joints. Chiropractic care is not only a smart idea, but extremely effective in relieving the debilitating pain of arthritis. Your Chicago chiropractor is highly skilled when it comes to arthritic pain relief. Other forms of chiropractic care may include joint mobilization, massage, ultrasound, cold laser, or electro-therapy, all of which may be helpful in the relief of painful and stiff joints. Occasionally a brace is used to help stabilize the joint in an effort to alleviate pain. Movement is vital to the maintenance of arthritic joints. A chiropractor often suggests gentle, mobilizing activities such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi can be beneficial.

Gout

Gouty arthritis is generated by increased levels of uric acid in the blood and the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. The most common joints are the big toes, the knees, ankles and wrists, and is often characterized by excruciating pain and swelling. Many people who develop gout are predisposed through heredity, though episodes are usually brought on by binge eating of agitative foods, when dehydrated or fasting, or after a major surgery or illness. Foods that must be avoided contain a natural substance called Purines that are metabolized in the liver to form uric acid. Individuals with this condition cannot properly metabolize uric acid, thus the proliferation in the bloodstream and the subsequent joint problems. The foods most connected with high purine content are: red meat especially organ meat, certain seafood, legumes, mushrooms and other foods as well. There are other dietary restrictions that must be followed including refraining from drinking alcohol.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease, is systemic in nature and thought to be created by immune system dysfunction. The most common joints affected are the small joints of the hands and fingers, the feet, knees, and shoulder, while other areas of the body can be affected as well. The condition is most often associated with morning stiffness that is aggravated by motion. Additional symptoms can include general malaise and fatigue, and in its more advanced stages other systems of the body may be affected. Rheumatoid arthritis can be easily identified through particularized blood tests. Though, currently, there is no cure, in addition to medication and vitamin and diet therapy, treatment should include chiropractic adjustments to mobilize joints and help to relieve the pain and stiffness prevalent in this disease. Additional modalities such as ultrasound, heat, electro-therapy, and massage may also be beneficial. Your Chicago chiropractor is dedicated to helping sufferers in getting relief from the pain and suffering associated with arthritis.

Technorati Tags: arthritis, Chicago chiropractor, joint pain, joint swelling, pain relief