[originally published in KCN, March 2007]
Did you know that whiplash injuries were relatively unheard of before the automobile was invented? Likewise, carpal tunnel syndrome wasn’t even a blip on the health care radar before computers hit the scene. And whoever thought that a “mouse” could cause so much trouble? The truth is, as we become more and more innovative and advanced in our technology, there seems to be an injury, or set of injuries, lurking in the shadows to complement it.
[originally published in KCN, Febuary 2003]
“I really did something to my back — but I think it’s just a muscle.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard patients tell me this. Yes, the muscle might be spasmed and painful, but the truth is the problem is rarely just a muscle — no more than is it just a bone or just a nerve. It’s a bit more complicated. More often there are multiple factors at play.
[originally published in KCN, September 2007]
It is estimated, that at any given time, 15% of the female population and 10% of the male population is suffering from chronic neck pain. It’s one thing to have had a short-lived kink in the neck, but having neck pain that goes on for months and months without any intention of going away, well, is truly a “pain in the neck.”
[originally published in KCN, November 2002]
They say that the popular television drama “ER” is based on actual Emergency Room experiences. That’s probably why it seems so realistic and has allowed the show to remain at the top of the ratings. So don’t be surprised if they write in a part for a chiropractor to stand alongside of Noah Wyle. Well, actually, I would be very surprised. But it’s not as far fetched as it sounds. It’s happening everyday at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
[originally published in KCN, September 2002 / cartoon provided by TomLamarCartoon.com]
The crowd is tense. Excitement is in the air. The gate springs open, and out pops a wild bucking bronco with a cowboy clutched atop. As the bronco tries with all of its might to rid itself of this odd, restrictive force it senses on its back, the brave cowboy tries with equal might to hang on like glue — body being bumped, jerked, and whipped in every direction imaginable — all while trying to look “good” during this brawl between man and beast. As the second clock speeds along, the music from the PA system blares, the crowd cheers, and the announcer keeps it all going full throttle. In what seems like a blink of an eye to the fans — but more like days to the brave cowboy — the eight second buzzer sounds, signaling that his ride is over, and his score awaits. Hopefully the rescue cowboys will be along soon for an easy dismount. Of course, the other option is being bucked off, slammed to the ground, and possibly stepped on. Ahh yes, the rodeo is in town! And while it only comes once a year to Kitsap County, to the cowboys (and girls) this is just another day at the office. For while the fans that night will only see these cowboys perform once, chances are, their calendars are booked for two, three, maybe four, different rodeos that week. How do they do it — again, and again, and again? For many, the answer is chiropractic.
[originally published in KCN, August 2002 / cartoon provided by TomLamarCartoon.com]
If I was the CEO of a major drug company of pain and anti-inflammatory medications looking to boost my already incredible sales, I would open up a restaurant. Why? Because, food — if eaten in the improper proportions, from a biochemical standpoint — has the ability to create excessive and uncontrollable inflammation, making a chronic, painful, inflammatory condition all the worse. Hence, the need for more of my medications. It’s a great idea!
(more…)
[originally published in KCN, April 2002]
Onions and chiropractic? A new culinary delight? Perhaps. But the reality is that when most people finally show up in a chiropractor’s office their spine resembles an onion. The symptom (usually pain) that eventually drives them to our offices is all too often an overt warning flag of a problem that has persisted for quite some time. Like the layers of an onion, neglected spines are virtually layered with a history of stress and injuries — making the chiropractic experience akin to that of an archeological dig. What surprises a lot of people, is that the neck or back pain they’re experiencing as an adult, could have stemmed from the time they fell off the changing table as an infant, the fender bender Mom got into when they were a toddler, or the fall they took off their bike as a youth. Or perhaps, they never had a fighting chance — perhaps their “onion” can be peeled back to an event we all share in common: birth.
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