As both a Doctor of Chiropractic and as a father, I try to keep up with the latest information that could possibly affect the health of both my children and my patients. These days, a lot of news coverage has been devoted to the volcanic ash cloud that has been plaguing parts of Northern Europe due to the eruption in Iceland. Already, the occupants of Great Britain have been advised to remain indoors to avoid breathing problems; volcanic ash may be exacerbating asthma symptoms.

We’re lucky that this ash cloud/asthma correlation will not be affecting American children. However, the news in the U.S. about asthma strikes me as rather grim. For Americans, the rise in the prevalence of asthma is comparative to the escalation of the obesity epidemic—that is, more of our children are affected with asthma than ever before and the problem is increasing. And like obesity, asthma is a dangerous condition that can affect every part of a child’s life.

Even worse, this spring has proven to be one of the nastiest allergy seasons in history, and we know that asthma and allergies are often related. The weather this year has been unusual, and the early and exceptionally warm spring we’re experiencing (after a colder and snowier-than-usual winter) are causing pollen counts to escalate.

It’s comforting for me to know that there is little danger that my own children will be affected by this disorder. Ninety-seven percent of children with a Doctor of Chiropractic as a parent are unaffected by asthma. I really believe that if more people were aware of this statistic, more parents with asthmatic children (as well as asthmatic adults) would seek out chiropractic care to treat asthma symptoms.

But how does chiropractic help with asthma?

Every function of the body—including respiration—depends on the flow of information between the body and the brain. The spine is part of the central nervous system, which coordinates the activity of all parts of the bodies.

Spinal misalignments may irritate the nerves that bring information from the brain to the lungs and back. When any interruption occurs along this route, health problems are always the result. Normal breathing is not possible if the brain and the respiratory system are unable to communicate properly.

Chiropractic can help remove the irritation to the nervous system caused by spinal misalignments, thereby allowing it to regulate breathing. Our bodies are capable of remaining healthy and performing nearly every task (such as breathing) optimally when total postural/spinal alignment is achieved.

Is chiropractic safe for my children?

I would never recommend any pediatric treatment that I didn’t fully believe was safe. In fact, I wouldn’t allow any treatment on a child that I wouldn’t use on any one of my own three kids. The treatment used at our office for children and infants is known as Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP), which involves the use of an instrument that provides a gentle force of vibration.

It is in no way traumatic—in fact, even infants often find this type of chiropractic treatment soothing. An amazing benefit of CBP for children, and especially those with asthma, is that it focuses on total spinal alignment and postural correction. In other words, chiropractic care that starts early can lead to better overall health for a lifetime.

Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center offers a free consultation to help you learn more about our services. If you are interested in learning more about how we can help with asthma (and allergies), please contact our Red Bank, NJ office.

Treatment for back pain and neck pain in Monmouth County

Recently, a member of my Red Bank staff returned from a trip overseas complaining of pain in her back and neck. This got me thinking—a number of us will be traveling either by car or airplane this summer. I’m sure a lot of people think that the pain associated with traveling may be worth the trip; but what a lot of people don’t realize is that they could be putting themselves in danger of more serious health concerns by compromising the health of their spine.

SpineUniverse conducted a survey in 2008 that discovered that many Americans (88%) who travelled within the United States in the previous year had suffered from back or neck pain after a flight. Not surprisingly, 74% of survey participants said they would be willing to pay extra for more comfortable seats, or for seats specifically designed for back and neck pain sufferers. Twenty percent of these people would happily fork over an extra one hundred dollars or more to avoid pain.

Unfortunately, those changes aren’t likely to come anytime soon. But there are some steps you can take to avoid back and neck pain while traveling, and chiropractic treatment is always there for you once you return.

Some tips to help avoid back and neck pain during air travel:

• Pack light and check as much luggage as possible. While many of us have rolling suitcases these days, you will still need to lug those heavy things down stairs, into the trunk of a car, and, in the case of carry-ons, hoist them into storage compartments above your head. All of these actions can be dangerous and cause pain.
• Be aware of your posture while sitting for long hours. Take advantage of the fact that airlines are still in the habit of offering pillows to passengers. While a firmer pillow is best, take the one you are given and place it behind your lower back for extra support. With some foresight, you can purchase special pillows designed by the chiropractic community to support your cervical (neck) spine during the flight.
• Pack an air pillow. Today, these are manufactured so that you can pack them flat and inflate them once you have gotten on the plane. This pillow will provide additional support for your head and neck.

Avoiding back and neck pain in the car:

• Get out and move around. One of the main advantages of traveling by car is that you have the opportunity to get out and stretch as often as you need.
• As when on an airplane, place a firm pillow behind your lower back if your car seat doesn’t offer adequate support.
• In general, be cautious not to drive in a slumped position. In the long term, you could seriously damage your posture (even distort the normal curvature of your neck!). We know that poor posture leads to a wide array of health concerns, and even shorter lifespan.
• It sounds simple, but be sure you are not sitting on anything (cell phone, wallet) that could misalign the seated position of your spine.

Treatment for Back Pain and Neck Pain at Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center

Whether you are traveling or staying in Monmouth County this summer, it’s important to maintain the health of your spine. Spinal subluxations (misalignments) can lead to countless health problems. At Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center, we use a number of techniques to ensure the health of your spine. These include traditional chiropractic care as well as revolutionary treatments (such as Chiropractic Biophysics, which ensures total spinal alignment and health).

It is important not to get  bogged down in a cycle of treating pain with drugs, which work to treat the pain but not the cause of pain. This is a very important distinction. We recommend chiropractic care as well as acupuncture, physical therapy, and massage therapy to treat your pain. Toward this end, we offer all of these options.

Please visit our Monmouth County neck and back pain facility if you are experiencing back pain or neck pain. And safe travels to all of our patients!

In honor of the National Awareness Day for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which took place on May 12) I’d like to talk about holistic treatment options for this disorder. Together we can find ways to reduce the frustration that often surrounds the treatment of this elusive condition.

I know that many patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) feel burdened with the task of convincing others that they are suffering from a very real medical issue. The lack of recognition often means that treatment options are limited to a scattered assortment of drugs used to treat symptoms—not the actual disorder—and which were never specifically intended for use with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients.

As many CFS patients already know, finding the right medications can be a lengthy process that creates further lifestyle disruption and, of course, damages the body by subjecting it to a variety of side effects. It’s important to know that there are other, healthy treatment options that do not require the use of drugs. Chiropractic care in particular can benefit the health of your entire body while addresing symptoms.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be extremely debilitating—it generally presents as severe exhaustion (which is not helped by rest), problems with memory and concentration, and pain in the muscles and joints. It is difficult to diagnose in patients because it often mimics other disorders; there are also no physical, obvious signs to identify Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Even worse, there is no diagnostic test that specifically pinpoints Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A diagnosis is usually made after a careful evaluation that rules out any other possible illnesses (such as multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, or mononucleosis). It is such a difficult condition to diagnose that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that less than 20% of Chronic Fatigue patients in the United States have been diagnosed.

As a Doctor of Chiropractic, my understanding of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is based on the relationship between the health of the spine and its impact on the central nervous system. Virtually every symptom related to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be traced back to a malfunctioning nervous system. Furthermore, when the spine is unbalanced it is not making the most efficient use of energy; fatigue often results when the spine is positioned in a way that places strain on the rest of the body.

Chiropractic care works by locating and fixing the misalignments in the spine that may be causing nervous system distress. When the spine is healthy and functioning properly, the body is free to heal itself and work as it was always intended.

Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center in the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

At our Red Bank, NJ facility, we practice a type of chiropractic known as Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP). CBP is particularly relevant in the treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in that it focuses on the total health and positioning of the spine. We also offer a number of other modalities, including:

• Acupuncture
• Low Level Laser Therapy
• Massage Therapy
• Physical Therapy

I hope that together we can dispel the myth that medications are required for eliminating symptoms. It is rarely necessary to harm the body in order to produce positive, healthy outcomes. Please call or visit our Monmouth County office to learn more.

The shape of a structure is often just as important as the material from which it is made. In architecture, for example, the most important shape is the triangle. Because of its strength, the triangle is heavily relied on by both architects and engineers.

I’ve realized that chiropractors and architects have a lot in common—except that, as a Doctor of Chiropractic, I am more concerned with the strongest shapes found in nature.

Early scientists and mathematicians believed that there was something intrinsically perfect and divine about circles. We know, of course, that the circle is the strongest three dimensional shape found in nature. In circles, stress cannot be concentrated on any one particular point; it is always distributed equally along an arc.

The neck was designed to curve in such a way to provide this type of shock absorption. The shape of the neck also makes it possible to support the head. A side view of a healthy neck should show a curve of about 40-60 degrees.

When the cervical (neck) spine is within the ‘normal’ range of curvature, the neck is able to support the head with very little effort. When the cervical spine is misaligned, it can lead to innumerable health problems—even early mortality. Without a healthy neck curvature (also known as a cervical lordosis), the spinal cord cannot remain soft, which disturbs the flow of blood and nerves to the rest of the body.

Neck pain is one way that the body alerts us that there is a problem in the curvature of the neck. Chiropractic can help.

What causes neck pain?

On a basic level, the pain in your neck is caused by inflammation. I’m guessing your next question is: what causes the inflammation? When the cervical spine is misaligned because of poor posture, normal movement of the neck is altered, leading to inflammation and, ultimately, pain.

Poor posture actually changes the shape and position of the neck curve. This can be the result of  aging, lifestyle, routine activities, or injuries and accidents. For example, many people experience whiplash following an auto accident. The sudden forward and backward movement of the head causes injury and sometimes abnormalities in the curvature of the neck. Sitting in front of a computer all day can have the same effect over time.

It’s pretty easy to understand why it is so important for the neck to be in the optimal position. The human head weighs about eight to ten pounds; when bad posture or other factors force the loss or reversal in the normal curvature of the neck, the spine experiences the head as exponentially heavier. This puts abnormal amounts of stress on the muscles and bones of the neck. With this new pressure, osteoblast cells in the bones activate growth and begin to form bone spurs. Neck pain is a result of this inflammatory process. Ultimately, it can lead to a more serious pain condition, such as arthritis.

Should I care about the curvature of my neck if I’m not experiencing any pain?

Yes. It is extremely important to maintain the health of your spine despite whatever symptoms you may or may not be experiencing. Remember, the purpose of the cervical spine is to contain and protect the spinal cord. It is through this conduit that every signal between the body and the brain passes. While neck pain is not always experienced, it is certain that other health concerns are present if the cervical spine is not properly aligned.

At Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center, the Doctors of Chiropractic view the body as a complete system—much in the way that architects must build with the total physical structure in mind. We practice a specific type of chiropractic known as Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP) which is centered on total spinal alignment and optimal posture.

Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center also incorporates more traditional chiropractic techniques as well as physical therapy, massage therapy, and acupuncture. If you are experiencing neck pain, feel free to visit our office for a free consultation

In a previous post, I explained how modern chiropractic began—how D.D. Palmer adjusted an abnormal vertebra in a man’s back and restored his hearing. That individual vertebral adjustment was just the beginning in the understanding and practice of chiropractic.

Today, many traditional forms of chiropractic (from Palmer’s days) are still in use. His work was based on the sciences of anatomy and physiology, and we know that his methods work—I have personally witnessed many recoveries from a variety of disorders with the use of traditional chiropractic.

Today, chiropractic is doing even more to help patients. A revolutionary form of chiropractic known as Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP) incorporates physics and biomechanics for better total posture and, ultimately, better health.

The Spine and Your Health

At its best, the human body is capable of doing amazing things. The spine is a perfect example of this—when the spine is in the optimal position, it requires very little energy to support a whole, heavy human body when standing. With proper maintenance, it is quite possible that the spine could last well beyond the normal age range for most people and should not experience degeneration.

Unfortunately, many people have spinal issues of which they are not even aware. Like any other determination of health (cholesterol levels, for example), there is an ideal range for spinal alignment. When the spine does not fall within this ‘normal’ range, it will degenerate faster.

Even worse, the spine is closely connected with the body’s central nervous system and therefore virtually every system of the body. When the spine is not correctly positioned, an amazing array of health problems can and will occur. These can include pain in the back, neck, and extremities, as well as arthritis, sciatica, stomach problems, headaches, and chronic fatigue syndrome (among many others). In general, it is not possible to experience good health when the spine is not in proper working order.

This is where Chiropractic Biophysics can help.

Rather than focusing on individual spinal misalignments (otherwise known as subluxations), CBP is implemented with the goal of creating optimal posture and spinal alignment as a whole. As a practitioner of CBP, I can tell you that the work of CBP certified doctors is to see not only the structural rehabilitation of the spine, but also clearly defined improvements in a patient’s overall health.

When a patient receives CBP treatments for a specific concern, I fully expect for that particular issue to be resolved. In fact, the success of our work with CBP is clearly documented—in the many patient testimonials on our Web site, as well as through the use of x-rays. Because we x-ray patients before and after CBP care, we can clearly view the structural rehabilitation of the patient’s spine and posture.

Holistic Treatment and Chiropractic Biophysics at Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation

At Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation, we treat the patient as a whole. In the same way that Chiropractic Biophysics treats the entire spine (as opposed to individual misalignments), our practitioners treat the entire body.

Toward this end, we not only practice traditional chiropractic as well as Chiropractic Biophysics, we also offer a number of holistic treatment options. These include physical therapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, and massage therapy.

CBP and holistic treatment options can literally be lifesaving and life-changing; they can help to resolve many medical problems otherwise treated with drugs or invasive surgeries. In some cases, they work toward the resolution of issues that are poorly understood and only marginally treated by traditional medical practices.

To learn more about Chiropractic Biophysics or any other form of holistic care, please contact our Red Bank, New Jersey office.