Research shows the health of a spinal joint directly connects to the organ’s alignment and mobility. Decreased spinal joint mobility accelerates the degenerative process and diminishes the joint’s strength and functional capability. The biggest challenge of spinal joint degeneration comes from the permanency attached to the process. Spinal joint degeneration cannot be reversed and continues to worsen if not addressed appropriately. Chiropractors stop the degenerative process by improving alignment and mobility in specific joints through Chiropractic adjustments.

A study completed in 2010 helped to confirm the damaging effects of hypo (decreased) mobility in the spine. When spinal joints lost appropriate mobility for at least eight weeks, scar tissue adhesions formed within the joint. Joint scar tissue adhesions make up the early stage of degeneration. Chiropractic adjustments reduce adhesion formation in an offending joint by inducing motion into the spinal segment. An absence of joint movement produces long-lasting adhesion formation which eventually turns into one of the most prevalent and degenerative conditions known as osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis of the spine torments large numbers of people with one of the most significant causes of persistent pain and disability in the world today. Osteoarthritis has become so common that many assume degeneration simple exists as part of the normal aging process. The plague of osteoarthritis advances quickly and often deforms and disables spinal function. Up to fifty percent of individuals experience arthritic back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain represents a common plague on health, yet limited information and solutions await people suffering from the development of lumbar spine degeneration. The projected number of older adults with arthritis or other chronic musculoskeletal joint symptoms is expected to nearly double from 21.4 million in 2005 to 41.1 million by 2030 in the U.S.

The progression of persistent pain and disability due to osteoarthritis also appear to dramatically increase in the coming years. The most commonly accepted solution in the current health care model involves the use of dangerous opioids. Conventional allopathic medicine carries little information or solutions to help reduce the progression of this disease process. Chiropractic represents one of the only true solutions which address the cause of the problem. Focusing on the maintenance of the mechanical workings of the spine serves as the most effective approach to preventing degenerative wear and tear of the human spine. Normalizing car axle alignment produces a great metaphor to describe the value of Chiropractic adjustments for improving the degenerative process. People certainly take an avid interest in ensuring their vehicle’s performance and value do not unnecessarily deteriorate. A person’s spine and long-term health deserve so much more than a replaceable vehicle. Chiropractic works.

The post Spinal Health and Car Alignment: Reduced Degeneration Occurs Through Spinal Adjustments first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.

First, you need to properly warm-up before you golf. This does involve being willing to look a little stupid in front of your friends so you will need to suck it up to feel good. I would suggest doing planks or sit-ups to activate your core muscles and prepare them to contract during your golf swing. Doing walking lunges will also help warm up your legs and butt muscles. I also recommend doing spinal rotation while keeping your hips very still and quiet. Going back and forth several dozen times will help your body prepare for the extreme rotation associated with golf.

Secondly, you know your back always feels sore after your first few times golfing. Be proactive and schedule a visit with your chiropractor before you hurt yourself. The old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies here. My patients that get adjusted regularly and take care of their spine with regular chiropractic care have better swing mechanics, less pain during their round and less recovery time. They end up playing a lot more golf in the season because they are not stopped by the pain. Tiger Woods has had his own private chiropractor his entire career and while he has recently been sidelined, he has been quoted numerous times on what an invaluable member of his team his chiropractor has been.

Thirdly, make sure you have good swing technique. Don’t try to evaluate this yourself. A PGA pro will be the best person to help you improve your swing mechanics to avoid damaging your back.  If you do not have access to a PGA pro, speak to the club professional at your local course and rely solely on the salesman at the store as a last resort.  You want your information from the best available.

At Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic, we are always here to help you feel better. Call us at 918-940-4630 to schedule your appointment and we can evaluate your current situation and make the appropriate adjustments to your spine and your swing to help you stay on the course and out-drive your buddies.  We want to help you continue to do the things you enjoy.  Thank you for allowing us to be your chiropractor.

The post Why Does My Back Hurt While Playing Golf? first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.

What is the best way to avoid this?  Cover up the areas where the most heat loss occurs, your head and neck.  From what my hairdresser tells me, stocking caps indoors are all the rage this year.  Not sure if I will be signing up on that one yet but I can definitely get behind scarves and turtle necks to keep me warm.

Think about the posture you have when it is cold outside and you are walking through the parking lot to get to your car and trying to stay warm.  It’s horrible.  If you think about what your body is trying to do, you are basically trying to make yourself smaller so you have fewer areas of your uncovered skin exposed to the elements.  Multiply that over three months of cold and it is easy to see why winter weather causes pain for people that tend to run cold.  Be cognizant of your posture and realize that these posture changes will become new habits if you do it often enough.  So, remember what your mother said and just bundle up.  Simple as that.

On top of that, cold muscles tend to be short muscles.  Especially in the winter, once you get somewhere warm, it is important to stretch more.  Stretching cold muscles isn’t such a good idea since muscles are easy to injure when they are cold.

In conclusion, to avoid pain with weather changes, have good posture, wear more clothes and stretch.  Quite simple actually, right?  Give us a call if you have any specific questions or to schedule your complimentary consultation with Dr. Travis Ring DC at Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic.  918-940-4630.  Thank you for allowing us to be your chiropractor.

The post I have pain when the weather changes… first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.

The type of arthritis we are describing is most often touted as the “wear and tear” type osteoarthritis and has been strictly associated with age for far too long.  It is the most common type of arthritis and can be detected in 35% of the general population by 30 years of age and it’s my opinion that number is far to low.  By the time someone is 70 years old, this condition appears to be universal.

A study by J.S. Lawrence revealed that osteoarthritis can be noted on an X-ray in 10% of 15 year old children and I stand and scream “this is not OK!!”

Osteoarthritis has been characterized clinically by pain, deformity, reduced range of motion, stiffness and eventually partial or complete disability.  It’s unfortunate but is has been universally accepted as a simple and inescapable part of aging.  Any notion or thought even remotely associated with slowing or halting the process and even reversing it has been labeled, until recently, as impossible.

Repairing the Joints

Joints in your body are area where two bones come together for the purpose of motion.  The ends of these bones are lined with a soft tissue cartilage that is designed to reduce friction so that the motion of the joint is smooth and painless.  As a matter of fact, the surface of the cartilage that lines your joints is so perfect as to be almost entirely without friction.  Also, an interesting fact about cartilage is that it has the ability to heal itself and is characterized as self-regenerating.  Along with the cartilage is a special material called synovial fluid that constantly bathes the joint and acts as a lubricant.  The process of arthritis is your own body’s attempt to repair something that has been damaged or is under stress, such as from a vertebral subluxation (mis-alignment) of the spinal bones.

Spinal vertebra are separated by a disc that acts as a shock absorbing material that undergoes a number of changes as a result of excess or improper stress.  These discs tend to decrease in size and cracks form in the material.  These changes tend to lead to instability of the joints and as a result, the normal body’s repair phenomena is called into play in an attempt to stabilize an area that is unstable.  As a result, we see the formation of calcium deposits and bone spurs that cause the pain and limited range of motion and are evident on the X-rays.  Arthritis is no longer seen in terms of an actual disease, rather it is viewed as your own body attempting to repair an area of your spine which is unstable.

But fun fact…. arthritis is not caused by aging, rather it is caused by chronic stress on the joints and some of the spinal bones remaining out of alignment for long periods of time.  We see children with this condition because the process of pregnancy and birth cause a traumatic incident that creates the subluxation from the beginning.

What is the take-home message?

The good new is that odds are often in your favor to slow down, halt and even reverse this condition when you take the proper steps.  It is important to have your spine checked as soon as possible if you have not already do this.  Far too often people wait until they are in pain or have stiffness before they take action but by this time, the process has advanced further than anticipated.  It is also important to have your children checked to determine whether or not they have subluxations, not only from the perspective of ensuring normal health and function but also to make certain that there is no error in the function of the vertebra that will lead to the arthritic process.  There are also some things you can take that can help in the recovery process….

-Glucosamine sulphate with chondroitin which helps to repair the collagen matrix that comprises your cartilage, discs and other ligaments

-Devil’s claw root and tumeric are natural anti-inflammatory substances that slow the body’s abnormal repair process

-Magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B and bioflavonoids can all be consumed by children

*Be sure to consult with a doctor before starting yourself or your children on any of these substances and speak with a naturopath or homeopath for additional nutritional recommendations specific to your situation.

Through a proper health history, examination and X-rays, a chiropractor can detect these changes early and put together a plan to aid in the recovery.  If you have any specific questions, please call 918-940-4630 to set up your complimentary consultation to speak with Dr. Travis Ring to discuss your situation.  Like it’s stated earlier, early intervention is the key to keeping the odds in your favor.

The post Do I have arthritis or spinal degeneration? first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.

One such doctor we continue to neglect until the very last moment is our chiropractor. Let’s face it, if we don’t feel pain in our back, then we’re convinced we don’t need a spinal adjustment, but there are other benefits to be gained from a visit to a chiropractor that can drastically improve our emotional and physical well-being. Below are seven signs that you should make an appointment with your chiropractor today.

1. Chronic back pain

The most obvious telltale sign that you need to go see the chiropractor is if you are experiencing back pain. There are several factors that can contribute to chronic back pain, including your posture, type of work, and how many hours a day you are on your feet. A chiropractor can provide you with relief from this pain without the use of invasive surgery or prescription medications.

2. Muscle or joint pain.

Chiropractors can do more than just relieve back pain. They are trained in both non-invasive spinal manipulation and massage therapy and can relieve pain in your muscles or joints by increasing blood flow and nerve conductivity in those areas.

3. Headaches

Headaches can be caused by a number of things, including oxygen deprivation, dehydration, and malnutrition. How much blood is able to reach the brain can also have a big impact. A chiropractor can help relieve headaches by improving your blood flow and increasing your brain’s oxygen supply. They may also recommend a change to your diet in order to improve your overall health.

4. Range of motion becomes limited

If you find you cannot turn your head/neck as far as you used to, or if you experience pain in doing so, it may be a good time to see the chiropractor. Stiff muscles and limited blood flow can contribute to a decrease in your overall flexibility. Stiffness or less flexibility in your extremities is another indicator of an issue, so be sure to have yourself checked out if any of these begin to occur.

5. A recent accident

An auto accident or a sports-related injury is one of the many scenarios where you can encounter an “invisible injury,” meaning that you may appear fine on the surface, but you are actually dealing with a serious internal injury. A chiropractor should be able to diagnose such an issue and be able to help you relieve it, although additional medical consultations may be suggested.

6. Arthritis diagnosis

“If you have recently been diagnosed with arthritis, your chiropractor may be able to help,” said Dr. Holly Westbrock, an Eden Prairie, MN chiropractor.  “Chiropractors work to relieve pain from arthritis without using invasive surgery, but rather through physical therapy.  They may be able to help you maintain the condition and prevent it from spreading to other muscles or joints in your body.”

7. Your “health-conscious” lifestyle needs improving

If you feel your lifestyle needs improvement or you just want to be more aware of taking care of your body, your chiropractor is an excellent source of information. They can provide you with appropriate exercise habits, nutritional guidance, and stress-relief techniques to improve both your emotional and physical well-being.

The post When Should I Go To a Chiropractor? first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.