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5 Reasons to Visit a Chiropractor

5 Reasons to Visit a Chiropractor

Chiropractic care has gained popularity as an effective, natural way to manage pain and improve overall wellness. Whether you are dealing with chronic pain, discomfort from an injury, or want to improve your quality of life, a chiropractor can help. There are five reasons to visit a chiropractor.

1. A Chiropractor Provides Relief from Chronic Pain

One of the most common reasons people visit a chiropractor is to find relief from chronic pain. Whether you suffer from back pain, neck pain, or headaches, chiropractic adjustments can help reduce inflammation and improve spinal function. Chiropractors focus on realigning the spine and joints, which can alleviate the pressure on nerves that often causes pain. Regular chiropractic care has been shown to help individuals with conditions like sciatica, herniated discs, and arthritis experience significant pain reduction without the need for medication.

2. Improved Posture

Poor posture can lead to various health issues, including muscle strain, headaches, and back pain. Chiropractors are experts at diagnosing and correcting disorders of the spine that contribute to poor posture. Through spinal adjustments and corrective exercises, chiropractors can help realign the spine, improving posture. Over time, this can reduce strain on muscles and joints, helping you stand and sit taller with less discomfort.

3. Better Mobility and Flexibility

Regular chiropractic visits can help improve mobility and flexibility, especially if you suffer from stiffness or restricted movement due to muscle tightness, injuries, or age. Chiropractors use techniques like spinal manipulation and stretching to increase the range of motion in the joints. By restoring proper function to the spine and other joints, chiropractic care can help you move more freely, whether engaging in everyday activities or exercising.

4. Headache and Migraine Relief

Spine dysfunctions, muscle tension, or poor posture cause headaches and migraines. Chiropractors can identify the root causes of these issues and provide targeted treatments to alleviate symptoms. Spinal adjustments can help reduce neck and upper back tension, which are common culprits for tension headaches. Chiropractic care has also been shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines, making it a safe and effective alternative to medication for many individuals.

5. Enhanced Overall Wellness

Chiropractic care is not just about addressing pain or discomfort; it also plays a key role in improving overall wellness. Chiropractic treatments can boost your immune system, increase energy levels, and enhance sleep quality by promoting spinal health and proper alignment. A well-aligned spine allows the nervous system to function optimally, which can positively impact all areas of your health. With regular visits to a chiropractor, many people experience an overall sense of well-being, both physically and mentally.

Conclusion

Visiting a chiropractor can offer many benefits, from pain relief to improved posture, mobility, and overall wellness. Whether you are dealing with chronic pain, recovering from an injury, or simply looking to improve your quality of life, chiropractic care can provide effective, natural solutions. If you are ready to experience the benefits of chiropractic care, consider scheduling an appointment with your chiropractor in Orewa today!

Chiropractor - 03/11/2025
Disc degeneration and spondylolisthesis

Spine Degeneration and How Chiropractors Can Help

Spine Degeneration and How Chiropractors Can Help

Spine degeneration, also known as degenerative disc disease, is a condition that affects many people as they age. It refers to the gradual wear and tear of the spinal discs, which act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. Over time, these discs can lose hydration, elasticity, and ability to cushion the spine effectively. This can lead to pain, stiffness, reduced mobility, and sometimes, nerve damage.

The Causes of Spine Degeneration

Several factors contribute to spine degeneration, including aging, poor posture, sedentary lifestyles, and previous spinal injuries. As we age, the discs in the spine naturally lose some of their water content, which leads to a reduction in disc height and a decrease in the disc’s ability to absorb shock. In addition, repetitive stress from daily activities, improper lifting techniques, or sitting for extended periods can contribute to spinal wear and tear.

Symptoms of spine degeneration vary depending on the severity of the condition. Common symptoms include:

  • Chronic back pain
  • Stiffness in the neck or lower back
  • Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
  • Weakness in the muscles
  • Limited range of motion
  • Spondylolisthesis

While spine degeneration is a common part of the aging process, it can significantly affect a person’s quality of life. That’s where chiropractors can be essential in managing the condition and improving overall spinal health.

How Chiropractors Can Help Spine Degeneration's Consequences

Chiropractic care focuses on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders, particularly those related to the spine. Chiropractors use non-invasive, drug-free treatments to help alleviate pain, restore mobility, and improve the spine's health.

  1. Spinal Adjustments

    Chiropractors perform spinal manipulations or adjustments to realign the vertebrae and restore proper movement. These adjustments help reduce nerve irritation, improve blood flow, and reduce muscle tension. By realigning the spine, chiropractors can help reduce pain and stiffness caused by spine degeneration.

  2. Therapeutic Exercises

    Chiropractors often recommend specific exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine. Stronger muscles provide better support for the vertebrae, reducing the strain on the discs. Chiropractors may guide patients through exercises to improve flexibility, posture, and core strength, which can help alleviate pain and prevent further degeneration.

  3. Postural Correction

    Poor posture is a major contributor to spine degeneration. Chiropractors can assess a patient’s posture and recommend techniques to improve alignment. Proper posture reduces unnecessary stress on the spinal discs and minimizes the risk of further degeneration.

  4. Pain Management

    Chiropractors can use techniques like soft tissue therapy, heat and cold therapy, and massage to alleviate the pain associated with spine degeneration. These treatments help reduce inflammation, relax tense muscles, and promote healing in the affected areas.

  5. Lifestyle Recommendations

    Chiropractors provide advice on healthy lifestyle changes to support spine health. This can include proper ergonomics, nutritional support, and weight management recommendations. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the load on the spine, and good ergonomics at work or during physical activities can prevent further strain on the discs.

Conclusion

Spine degeneration is a common issue that can cause significant discomfort and limitations in daily activities. While it may be a natural part of aging, there are ways to manage the symptoms and improve quality of life. Chiropractors offer a holistic, non-invasive approach to treating spine degeneration, focusing on spinal adjustments, therapeutic exercises, postural correction, and pain management. If you are experiencing symptoms of spine degeneration, seeking chiropractic care could be the key to improving your spinal health and overall well-being.

Chiropractor - 03/05/2025
Seeing a chiropractor after a car accident

Why seeing a Chiropractor After a Car Accident is Right?

Why seeing a Chiropractor After a Car Accident is Right?

Drivers and passengers should see a chiropractor after a car accident. Thousands of Kiwis experience a car accident every year, often at low speed. Most of the time, they do not complain of several disorders at the time, more worried about their vehicle’s condition.

However, others can feel severe pain and need to go to E.R. for painful back or neck pain. Unfortunately, they do not think about visiting a chiropractor.

The most common symptoms are:

  • neck stiffness with pain or whiplash;
  • a restricted range of movement,
  • blurred vision,
  • dizziness,
  • headaches,
  • shoulder pain.
  • and low back pain.

The first symptoms may not appear in the first hour but a bit later when the micro-tears in the fibres of the muscles or ligaments are swelling.

Incredibly, 70% of the people going to an emergency room will report some symptoms six weeks afterwards, and a quarter within the half-year.

43% of patients will suffer long-term symptoms following whiplash injury.

According to Dr Mason Hohl from UCLA Medical Center “, Follow-up x-rays taken seven years after injury showed that 40% developed degenerative disc disease, while the expected incidence should be 6% over this time.”

Everyone experiencing a car crash should consult a chiropractor.

This is a much better solution than taking pain relief.

Chiropractors receive long education and training to treat neck and back disorders such as whiplash and headaches, or spine strain/sprain, reducing the use of medicine.

1- Pain Relief

Chiropractors provide treatments broadly recognised as an effective to reduce pain from the musculoskeletal apparel, using neurological stimulation to reduce the level of complaint and so, decreasing the use of medication.

2- Mobility Restoration

After an accident, the movement of the cervical spine would likely be restricted. Chiropractic adjustments focus on restoring the normal range of motion of the spinal part involved, improving the comfort of the neck and so, getting a better quality of sleep.

3- Improving the Process of Healing

During the accident, the neck's soft tissues receive a substantial load when the head is projected forward and then backward in reaction. It creates micro-tears in the muscles and ligaments and then some inflammation. Chiropractors provide spinal adjustment so that the tissues are positioned correctly, reducing the tension. The recovery is faster, and the tissue heals properly, avoiding scar tissue and provoking long-term discomfort or pain.

More importantly, you will prevent further injury rendering the normal function of the spine.

The chiropractic treatment is unique to each whiplash injury and addresses the first segmental dysfunctions found during the physical examination.
Chiropractor’s treatment usually employs spine adjustments, muscle relaxation and/or stimulation, various exercises, and ergonomic and lifestyle changes.

Drivers and passengers should see a chiropractor after a car accident. If needed, he will assess your spine and correct the hidden dysfunctions and disorders.

Chiropractic / Chiropractor - 03/28/2020
achilles-tendinitis

How to Fix My Achilles Tendinitis

How to Fix My Achilles Tendinitis

One of the most common sports injuries for runners or jumpers is an Achilles tendinosis or, to be more precise, tendinopathy, while it is the largest tendon. Nonetheless, it is poorly understood and one of the most challenging sports injuries to treat appropriately. Usually, it is due to a sudden load increase in intensity or length of time without proper training. It may take up to a whole year before recovering, and even more if a new injury occurs during healing.

From my experience as a physiotherapist and then a chiropractor, I can tell that I have felt very uncomfortable treating these kinds of injuries. Some professionals recommended stretching on the stairs for 3 minutes, others wearing walking boots to relieve the load on the tendon, and other modalities such as wearing orthotics, icing, massage or ultrasounds.

However, a breakthrough in the protocols to treat Achilles tendonitis has brought some solutions in exercising therapy.

Before entering into the details, we need to consider the two types of tendinopathy: midportion and insertional. For the latter, the discomfort or pain is triggered at the tendon's insertion onto the calcaneus or heel bone. If the symptoms are similar, the treatment is quite different, and we will focus on the most common, the midportion tendinosis.

FIGURE 1. Localization of Achilles tendinopathy: (A) midportion and (B) insertional.

Treatment for Achilles Tendinopathy

The management is moderated according to the symptoms, age and sex, disability and sports needs.
Eccentric exercise has been the reference in all the studies and should be done for 3 months before considering more invasive options. 3 sets of 15 repetitions are recommended with the knee straight or mildly bent.

The Eccentric Exercise

Exercise

Heel drop: knee straight (FIGURE 2)
Stand on the edge of a step on the involved side. Start with standing on the toes, then lower the heel as far down as possible. Rise back on the toes with the assistance of the other foot: 3 sets of 15 repetitions, 2 times per day, 7 days a week for 12 weeks. The exercise can be painful to a certain extent. When you feel no pain anymore, you can hold some weight.

Repeat the exercise by bending the knee moderately.


FIGURE 2. The heel drop: knee straight and heel drop: knee bent exercises.

Regarding the insertional tendinopathy, the deep fibres of the tendon are squeezed against the tubercle of the calcaneus, or sometimes the bursa. This is a compressive traumatism due to repetitive dorsiflexion, so exercising should be avoided.

In this view, a heel lift is recommended first during daily life activities. The calf should avoid the heel lower than the floor level. It is so better to avoid exercising on the stairs. The range of movement will increase with a reduction of the symptoms. Walking and running on flat ground will be reintroduced progressively. Running in the hills is the last stage when the pain is minimal.

Foot Manipulations

A combination of eccentric exercise and manipulations of the joints of the foot, such as subtalar articulation or midfoot mobilisation, have shown better outcomes during the studies. At Orewa Chiropractic, we have a large experience in treating sport injuries.

 

Chiropractor / Sport Injury - 11/26/2019
chiropracticbenefits

Why Seeing a Chiropractor

Seven Reasons to See a Chiropractor

We can't wait to show you how naturally incredible you can feel with chiropractic care. Curious? Give us a call.

1. Chiropractic focuses on your health. Your nervous system controls every part of your body, from the cell to the organ and the whole system. The original purpose of chiropractic is to restore the integrity of the general nervous system. When the nervous system functions correctly, your body works better.

2. Chiropractic does not use medication. Chiropractic is holistic care focusing on natural resources to assist the body to function and heal better without adding chemical substances. Chiropractic care uses hands-on therapies and exercises and ergonomic and diet recommendations.

3. Chiropractic is internationally recognized as a safe therapy. Chiropractors adjust babies, seniors or moms throughout the world every day. The treatment is tailored to any person's age, condition and needs.

4. Chiropractic adjustments lead to minimal discomfort. If the muscles ache after the first session, the benefits are instantly felt, such as improved balance, better sleep, increased energy and vitality, and other endurance and coordination.

5. Chiropractic, since its discovery in 1885, has spread throughout the world and is now professionally accredited in most countries despite criticism from people who would not accept the evidence of chiropractic's benefits, mainly due to ignorance. Chiropractic has become more and more popular because of the high level of satisfaction and the spread of the word.

6. Chiropractic is logic. Pain is your friend, telling you that you have to do something to help and rather than wanting to kill, it makes sense to correct the underlying cause to prevent its recurrence. Evidence has shown that intense and flexible spines are less exposed to accidents and injuries.

Do not hesitate to share the knowledge of chiropractic's benefits as chiropractors can help your family and friends.

Chiropractic / Chiropractor - 05/07/2019
mattress-topper-1

How To Choose A Mattress?

How to choose your mattress?

We spend two hundred thousand hours in our bed, roughly one-third of our life and the quality of our sleep is essential for our mood, well-being and health.

We turn something like 40 times each night, so we don't sleep in the same single position. Some prefer to sleep on their back and others on their side. As you probably know, it is not recommended to sleep on your stomach as it creates a large amount of strain on your cervical spine.

You may think your bed is too old and time to change it. Bed stores are quite well-minded, and they will be happy if you try these tips:

  • Lie on your back and pass your hand under your lower back arch. If there is no problem, the mattress could be too firm. It should provide good firm support but with enough softness so that your musculature can release.
  • Turn on your side and push down the mattress with your elbow. If it's too deep, it may be too soft. You may think it's comfortable, but your back won't like it, especially if you hhave suffered from it.
  • Lie in your favourite position and try to feel your muscles between your shoulder blades and pelvis released.

We should change our bed every ten years, whatever its purchase cost. It is important to be aware that mattresses made with springs will lose some of their properties sooner than latex ones.

Don't hesitate to ask for more information from your chiropractor. Chiropractors are experts in spine health and will advise the sort of mattress that you need according to your spine needs when they are assessed. It is simple to choose a bed when you have the correct information.

Chiropractic / Chiropractor / Uncategorized - 12/01/2018
chiropractic adjustment

Is Chiropractic Safe?

Is Chiropractic Treatment Safe?

 

Chiropractic is a safe practice as millions of chiropractic are provided worldwide every day. Discover why it is as safe as any care.

 

Evidence Chiropractic is Safe

A new major study reports evidence that chiropractic is safe for neck pain treatment

The large American study, using the records of 40 million people, researched the link between chiropractic care and VBA stroke.

As it was expected, it shows no obvious causality between chiropractic manipulation and vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stroke.

This study supports the results of another previous and independent made by Cassidy, Boyle et al.

Indeed, the latter concluded that neck adjustments do not cause a stroke.

However, an association between the two events may exist.

 

The Study Results

In this new study, the researchers analysed up to 30 days before the date of hospital admission for VBA stroke:

They controlled if their patients visited chiropractors and/or GPs.

Positively, the authors' conclusions were unequivocal: “there was no association between chiropractic visits and VBA stroke found for the overall sample or samples stratified by age."

In contrast, “there is an association existing between GP visits and VBA stroke incidents regardless of the length of hazard period."

The likelihood or odds ratio of there being an association between a stroke and a GP visit “increase dramatically from 1-30 days to 1-1 day."

This is consistent with “the hypothesis that patients are more likely to see a GP for symptoms related to vertebral artery dissection closer to the index date of their actual stroke.”

“Overall, our results increase confidence in the findings of (the Cassidy, Boyle et al. study) which concluded there was no excess risk of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic care compared to primary care".

Reference:
Kosloff T, Elton D et al. (2015) Chiropractic Care and the Risk of Vertebrobasilar Stroke: Results of a Case-Control Study in U.S. Commercial and Medicare Advantage Populations. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies; 23:19. (Appendix A)

 

Chiropractic / Chiropractor - 09/01/2018

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