Dr. Steven Alff, your Ventura Chiropractor, wants you to know that there are a variety of chiropractic treatment plans that can be effectual when treating your musculoskeletal system, from eliminating a particular problem to responding to your general health issues. After thoroughly examining you, Dr. Alff will inform you as to which treatment plan would be most effective for you. As your Chiropractor in Ventura, he will want to provide you with a range of treatment strategies from which you can select in accordance with your immediate concerns as well as your long term health and fitness goals.
It could be practical for you to have some concept, ahead of time, about the versatile chiropractic treatment plans Dr. Alff will likely propose.
Relief Care is the specific chiropractic option made available to individuals who are in the throes of pain and distress, no matter what the source of the condition. The purpose of this type of treatment is to offer prompt pain relief. The length of the treatment time period can be difficult to pinpoint as it depends exclusively on the extent of the problem or disability experienced by the individual and how quickly it can be remedied.
Corrective Care typically is a “more advanced” method of chiropractic treatment. This is for those who have endured spinal issues over an extended time period, which is to say, for those who have a chronic problem that has evolved into a more problematic situation owing to their putting off proper care. Remedial treatment in most cases stretches over a longer period of time. How long care is necessary is determined by the magnitude of the progressive affect and how rapidly the individual responds to the treatment.
Maintenance Care, as the name suggests, is intended to maintain or sustain any kind of procedure previously administered to a patient. Many times, chiropractic care is extended solely after the initial treatments have been estimated to be successful. The goal of this kind of chiropractic care is to minimize the possibility of the original affliction coming back and to discourage degenerative changes in the future.
wellness Care is extended to those people that are not feeling severe discomfort, but are looking to enrich their overall health. Periodic chiropractic treatment improves the flow of blood and oxygen inside the body, enhances muscle flexibility, helps prevent work and play injury, and boosts an individual’s entire sense of well-being.
It doesn’t matter if you are presently suffering from pain or you want to increase your overall health, chiropractic care can help. Call Dr. Alff, your Ventura Chiropractor, today!
Do you know that chiropractic therapy has been rising in popularity for years and that it is continuing to grow annually as the selected healthcare option for many men and women? Your Ventura Chiropractor knows that people are making a choice on chiropractic care thanks to the many benefits that such treatment provides. No other healthcare practice is less invasive to the body and, at the same time, can promote the body’s innate potential to heal itself instead of masking symptoms with drugs.
Let’s face it, wherever there’s a musculoskeletal system, just as in the human body, there’s the likelihood of musculoskeletal dysfunction such as lower back pain and neck pain, pain in the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints, and ankle and foot pain. No one is immune from misalignment of the spine and joint inflammation, even though numerous health issues are often the outcome of sports injuries, accidents, and the aging process. Irrespective of the origin, any type of movement on a traumatized spot of the body can not only lead to more pain or suffering, but plenty of down time and inactivity. And, of course, particular musculoskeletal problems, if left untreated, can result in permanent disability.
It has been said of chiropractic care that its “pros surpass” merely eliminating a specific condition. Actually, a patient who comes in to see a chiropractor for back pain, for example, not only gains from pain relief, but also from improved circulation, a lowering or elimination of lactic acid, easier travel of oxygen and nutrients within the body, much more flexibility, less general pain and soreness, better recuperation time, a more tranquil experience, and the reduction of future injury! Is it any wonder why chiropractic care has become the treatment of choice for so many people?
Besides delivering experienced musculoskeletal treatment, chiropractors also provide education and counseling as it pertains to improving your total health and wellness. Chiropractors understand that in order for you to get healthy and stay that way, it is important for you to choose a simple health-oriented lifestyle, especially drinking lots of water to keep the body hydrated, following a nutritious diet program, and establishing a regular stretching and exercise routine.
Chiropractic treatment isn’t going to quite work “miracles, ” however it comes very close in quite a few areas that will possibly surprise you. For instance, chiropractic care can help pregnant women give birth more easily. It can sharpen the developmental capabilities of babies, like enhanced motor skills, and often prevent scoliosis. Chiropractic adjustments for kids can help decrease asthma discomforts, ear infections, even bed-wetting. Besides the positive factors just mentioned, consistent chiropractic management can help adults to feel more vital and dynamic, which consequently increases productivity. And, then finally, for maturing baby boomers and the senior population, not only can chiropractic care help to reduce age-related challenges and assist in keeping an individual more lively in later years, it can also lessen the balance problems that commonly bring about critical injury from falls.
If you’re currently visiting a chiropractor, that’s great! You have no doubt already experienced any number of the health benefits mentioned above. In that case, why not enlighten your friends and members of your family about chiropractic? Don’t let someone you care about fall victim to the kind of misinformation pertaining to chiropractic care that will keep them from living their day more completely. Tell a friend or family member to give Dr. Alff, your chiropractor in Ventura, a call. They will be happy they did because he can help!
What Is Tendinitis (Tendonitis)?
By · Comments- Tendonitis is "Inflammation of a tendon."
Some common lay terms for tendinitis include:
- Golfer's elbow
- Jumper's knee
- Pitcher's shoulder
- Swimmer's shoulder
- Tennis elbow
What are tendons?
A tendon is tissue which attaches muscle to bone. It is flexible, tough and fibrous and is capable of withstanding tension. A ligament extends from bone to bone at a joint, while a tendon extends from muscle to bone. Tendons and muscles work together and can only exert a pulling force. Although tendons and ligaments are tough and fibrous, they are referred to as soft tissue, because of their common comparison to bone or cartilage.
The Latin word tendere and the Greek word teinein mean "to stretch". Inflamed tendons (tendinitis) are more likely to get ruptured. If the sheath around the tendon becomes inflamed, rather than the tendon itself, the condition is called tenosynovitis. People can have tendinitis and tenosynovitis simultaneously.What are the signs and symptoms of tendinitis?
A symptom is something the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor detect. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign.
Tendinitis signs and symptoms occur where the tendon attaches to a bone; and usually include:- Pain – if the affected area is moved the pain worsens
- A feeling that the tendon is crackling or grating as it moves. This sensation is more common on examination.
- Swelling in the affected area
- The affected area may be hot and red
- A lump that develops along the tendon
If there is a rupture a gap may be felt in the line of the tendon and movement will be very difficult. Read more…
Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.
Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes. “While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney. According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists. “What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.” While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.” Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.” Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.” In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.Even with Fewer Risk Factors, Heavy Men Die Earlier
By · Comments
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Overweight middle-aged men may have a higher risk of heart problems and strokes and die earlier than their thinner peers — even in the absence of some traditional risk factors, a new study suggests.
Some past research has suggested that when obese and overweight adults do not have the so-called metabolic syndrome, their risks of diabetes, heart disease and stroke are no higher than those of normal-weight people. Metabolic syndrome refers to a collection of risk factors for diabetes and heart problems — including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides (another type of blood fat). It is typically diagnosed when a person has three or more of those conditions. In the current study, which followed more than 1,700 Swedish men for 30 years, overweight and obese men had increased risks of conditions including heart attack and stroke, even when in the absence of metabolic syndrome. Among all men without metabolic syndrome, those who were overweight were 52 percent more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, and other complications than normal-weight men were, while obese men had nearly double the risk. The findings are published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. Read more…
Breast-Feeding May Protect a Woman's Heart
By · CommentsArteries appear to be less clogged in those who nurse infants, study finds
By Serena Gordon
healthDay Reporter
Although many women choose to breast-feed because of the numerous health benefits it offers their offspring, new research suggests that breast-feeding may also help the health of the mothers’ hearts later in life.
In a study of nearly 300 women, researchers found that those who had not breast-fed were much more likely to have calcification or plaque in their coronary artery, aorta and carotid artery. When calcification and plaque build up in the arteries, blood flow can be reduced, and, if enough of these deposits build up, they can cause a heart attack or stroke.
“Women who had not breast-fed were more likely to develop changes that might lead to symptomatic heart disease,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Eleanor Schwarz, an assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology, obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Health Care. Read more
What is vertigo? Vertigo is a medical term used to denote the dizzy feeling that someone suffers within a fixed environment. It is a sense that the outer world is tilting or spinning. The disturbance can be sudden and short-lived or chronic. Whether acute or chronic, however, the origin of the vertigo should be uncovered and the necessary treatment undertaken.
There are a number of causes for the symptoms of Vertigo. An inner ear condition, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, can frequently occur as the aftermath of a sustained head trauma or severe cold. Sometimes this type of vertigo can be the result of the aging process. The cause, however, frequently is unknown. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo may appear to be an unusually long term, but it delineates perfectly this non-progressive affliction that is caused by, as its name implies, a quick change in head position. Such episodes are generally unexpected and unpredictable.
It is helpful to discuss the function of the inner ear in order to understand what produces the frequently immobilizing symptoms of this type of vertigo. The brain senses movement and maintains balance through the medium of the fluid contained in the inner ear. The inner ear also contains small calcium carbonate crystals, known as otoconia. These crystals will float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the sensitive nerve endings in the inner ear, they cause the symptoms of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
Fortunately, chiropractors using a technique known as the Epley maneuver, can eliminate the symptoms of BPPV quickly and effectively. Using this technique, your Ventura chiropractor slowly turns the head of a BPPV sufferer into several different positions, allowing gravity to move the calcium carbonate crystals into an area of the inner ear that is away from the nerve endings where they will cause no further dizziness.
Your Ventura chiropractor has assisted hundreds of individuals for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo using the Epley Maneuver technique and the majority of patients are no longer dizzy after with just one treatment. Make an appointment with your chiropractor today!
Make Sure That You Absolutely Need that CT Scan…
By · CommentsEach year that today’s scanners are used, 14,500 deaths could result, researchers say. When healthy people are exposed to the radiation, the imaging may create more problems than it solves.
(Los Angeles Times) Widespread overuse of CT scans and variations in radiation doses caused by different machines — operated by technicians following an array of procedures — are subjecting patients to high radiation doses that will ultimately lead to tens of thousands of new cancer cases and deaths, researchers reported today.
Several recent studies have suggested that patients have been unnecessarily exposed to radiation from CTs or have received excessive amounts, but two new studies published Tuesday in the Archives of Internal Medicine are the first to quantify the extent of exposure and the related risks.
Each year that current scanners are used, researchers reported, 14,500 deaths could result. In one study, researchers from UC San Francisco found that the same imaging procedure performed at different institutions — or even on different machines at the same hospital — can yield a 13-fold difference in radiation dose, potentially exposing some patients to inordinately high risk. Read more…
21 Ways to Boost Energy
By · CommentsYou can do it in just 10 minutes a day!
By R. Morgan Griffin
WebMD Feature
Feeling rundown and foggy on the job? Does the prospect of an afternoon’s worth of housework seem unspeakably grim? It’s time for a break to refresh and boost your energy.
Although you may not be able to take the afternoon off, you can surely afford 10 minutes to recharge yourself, no matter how hectic your life might be. And although a 10-minute break might not be quite as reinvigorating as 10 days on a Caribbean beach, it can boost energy and mood.
So how can you do it? How can you use a 10-minute break for something more energizing than aimless web surfing or yet another game of Minesweeper? To find out, WebMD turned to experts from different fields — therapists, dietitians, and integrative medicine specialists. Read more and find out about their 21 tips for quick ways to boost energy.
It is no secret that carrying around excess body weight, especially as we age, can cause a number of health problems from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back and joint pain. Surplus poundage puts extra stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a gigantic number and a huge problem (no joke).
Excess weight, in the form of body fat, overburdens the structure of the human body. It was not designed for the added. The musculoskeletal system can literally be put on overload with only an additional 20 or 30 pounds. For example, in an effort to compensate (counterbalance) for weight in the belly, the pelvis tilts forward. This causes joints in the low back to compress. Joint compression inhibits nerve function and produces painful inflammation. Most individuals who are overweight suffer from low back pain caused by a pinched sciatic nerve or misalignments of the spinal column that impinge nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. Misaligned vertebra can not only produce new arthritic changes in the spine, but can continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place over the years.
You may be wondering how chiropractic can help. First of all, to be clear, a healthy body weight is requisite in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform the way it is meant to. That said, in addition, chiropractic treatment relieves nerve impedence in the spine and helps to restore motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, like in the low back, hips, and knees. A spine in alignment and joints that have good mobility make exercise and physical activity a lot easier. Exercise will not only help in weight reduction, but it can actually decelerate degenerative changes as a person ages.
It is always a good plan to make an appointment with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor, to discuss diet and exercise. Chiropractors not only help people get pain relief from back challenges and joint inflammation due to arthritis, but in addition they offer highly knowledgeable advice on the type of lifestyle changes that can aid a person in staying healthier and more active through the years. arthritis and immobility due to aging don’t have to be inevitable. The human body was meant to move, to walk, even to dance, without pain, for a lifetime.
So, if you’ve been throwing your weight around and all you’ve been getting in return is back and joint pain, your chiropractor can help relieve your suffering. Make an appointment today!
