How a Chiropractor Can Prevent Ear Infections

Ear infections are usually caused by blockages in the Eustachian tubes. Ear infections may be bacterial or viral and are often caused after the patient has suffered a contagious illness such as a cold. If an ear infection is left untreated there may be permanent damage to the ear drums, so in extreme cases the patient may become deaf.

Most babies will have suffered one before they reach their third birthday. The peak time for your baby to suffer an ear infection is from age seven months to age nine months.

Babies and young children are very vulnerable to ear infections for two reasons. The first reason is that the babies often have traumatic births and the birth process can cause misalignments in a baby, making the baby's immune system weak.

The second reason is that a small child's Eustachian tube, that links the pharynx to the middle ear, is not as large in diameter as an adult's Eustachian tube. If your baby or young child catches a cold the Eustachian tube may become blocked. This can result in an accumulation of fluid in the middle ear causing the infection.

Help your Child to Recover from an Ear Infection by Visiting a Chiropractor
Your baby or young child can be successfully treated for ear infection by a visit to a chiropractor. Chiropractic treatment is drug free, and is a natural and conservative approach to treating such infections. Studies show that ninety-three percent of ear infections improve after a child has had chiropractic treatment.

A study of two hundred chiropractors' children and two hundred paediatricians' children had remarkable results. Eighty percent of the paediatricians' children had suffered from ear infections whereas only thirty-one percent of chiropractors' children had suffered from the same. The chiropractors' children had stronger immune systems, so they were less prone to infection.

Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic treatment is to manipulate the upper cervix. The chiropractor will focus on the occiput (back of the skull) and the atlas (first vertebra in the neck). Adjustment of the occiput will help the middle ear to start to drain. A patient who is treated by a chiropractor is often free from infection for a longer period of time than a patient who is given a course of antibiotics.

The average amount of adjustments required to treat an ear infection is between six and eight. If a chiropractor is treating a baby or young child, the chiropractor will exert only slight pressure rather than the stronger manipulations required to treat an adult. Chiropractic treatment for babies and young children is very safe. If you take your child to a chiropractor for treatment you may be able to avoid the use of antibiotics to treat your child's ear infection.

If your baby's spine was misaligned due to the birth process, you may see an improvement to your child's health after only one or two adjustments. This is because the baby's misalignment is corrected by the chiropractor, so the baby's immune system will be strengthened. A chiropractor is a well trained professional who can help alleviate your baby's suffering.

By Dr Maria Ananakis (Chiropractor)

A Comparison of Chiropractic Vs Physical Therapy

While there are many overlapping areas of expertise between chiropractors and physical therapists, there are essential differences. The chiropractor is the expert in spinal manipulation and the correction of spinal subluxations.

Chiropractors practice the art of manipulation daily and are often trained in numerous methods of adjusting the spine. The very fact that physical therapists embrace spinal manipulation and want to be able to provide this service as well demonstrates how effective spinal manipulation is for relieving various musculo-skeletal conditions.

The problem is that physical therapists often do not achieve the mastery of correcting spinal alignment in a week-end course. Physical therapists do not provide manipulative therapy with the frequency that chiropractors do nor have they had the same number of hours or years of training in adjusting techniques. Would you rather see a generalist or a specialist when it comes to adjusting your spine?

Chiropractors are also trained to diagnose your problem through physical examination and radiology. Chiropractic care focuses on the whole being not just an injured part. Chiropractors are trained in anatomy, physiology, pathology, public health, nutrition, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. An average of 4,820 hours of combined classroom, laboratory and clinical experience is completed prior to graduation.

Physical therapists complete an average of 3,398 hours of classroom and clinical study prior to graduation. They are trained in stroke rehabilitation, cardiorespiratory and post-operative orthopedic rehabilitation. They work with patients suffering from brain damage and other disabling conditions.

Both chiropractors and physical therapists have national licensing examinations. Both professions have residency and internships. Board certification is also required in both fields. Doctors of chiropractic must complete a four year undergraduate degree before completing the four year full-time doctorate of chiropractic program. Three academic years are required for a doctorate in physical therapy and two years for a master's degree. In other words both professions are well trained in what they do. Both professions can also specialize in areas of orthopedics, spinal cord injuries, pediatrics, geriatrics and other specialties.

Some treatment techniques which overlap include manual therapy techniques ranging from soft tissue mobilization to therapeutic exercises, neuromuscular re-education and gait training.

While there are many similarities chiropractors stand apart from physical therapists with their training in diagnosis and their expertise in spinal manipulation. Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care after four weeks of treatment than were medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than they were with physical therapy after 6 weeks.

Chiropractic Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or TMD, is a common injury that affects millions of people everyday. In fact, it is estimated that around 50% of the population may be affected by some type of TMD. TMD is defined as pain or tenderness, often accompanied by symptoms including audible clicking, headaches, earaches, and jaw locking, related to the dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. There are three major types of TMD which include internal derangement, degenerative, and myofascial varieties. It can affect anyone but it seems to affect women more than men in a 4:1 ratio and its peak incidence occurs between the ages of 20-40. It typically presents as jaw or facial pain that can radiate into the neck, jaw, or temporal areas. Often it can be accompanied by a loss of proper range of motion in the jaw, audible clicking with chewing, and even locking. Some patients also get earaches, headaches, and neck pain with it. There are many common causes of TMD that should be considered in order to remove the causative factors. Hypermobility and hypomobility can be a cause for TMD.

Disc displacement inside the joint can cause snapping and popping as well as jaw locking and pain. Patients that grind their teeth at night can cause asymmetrical wear and tear on their teeth which can result in jaw displacement and abnormal stresses during chewing and biting and can lead to TMD. Muscle spasms in the muscles of mastication (chewing) can lead to abnormal placement and movement of the jaw during chewing. Dental conditions such as poorly fitting dentures, toothaches, and long periods of dental work can cause displacement and pain as well as degenerative osteoarthritis and direct trauma as seen in car accidents, boxers, and facial injuries. There are many different orthopedic and exam findings that help to diagnose the cause of TMD by a chiropractor, physical therapist, or medical doctor. Palpation in the TMJ space will most likely be tender and in late stages will involve crepitis or a crunching sound/feeling. There will be increased pain with clenching or chewing and a measure of range of motion of the jaw will reveal a limited range of motion overall, but specifically on the affected side. The normal range of motion of the jaw is around 40 mm, or 3 fingertips, and is measured upon jaw opening by measuring the space between the upper and lower incisors. The jaw may also open and close incorrectly with the appearance of jaw protrusion or lateral deviation of the mandible. Normally the jaw should depress in a straight motion and should not deviate to either side. This is called mandibular tracking. Palpation of the muscles of mastication including the masseter and pterygoid muscles will reveal tenderness and possibly muscle spasms or trigger points. Diagnostic imaging is sometimes used to determine internal structural stability. Normal x-rays are usually not very helpful in the diagnosis but can be used in cases of trauma to determine a fracture of dislocation. An MRI can be useful to determine the position of the intraarticular disc but is often used as a last resort after traditional noninvasive treatments have failed. Videoarthrography is an expensive and painful form of advanced imaging that can also be used to view the TMJ through the process of clenching and chewing but it is rarely used.

Research has shown that chiropractic treatment of TMJ is very effective and should be considered before invasive procedures are incorporated. Chiropractors work with the muscles and the joint to free fixations and restore the proper biomechanical properties in order to reduce the pain and clicking and retrain the muscles to work properly. It is estimated that 75% of TMD patients will have their symptoms fully resolve within three months under multidisciplinary care including chiropractic, dental, and physical therapy. With proper instruction and treatment, the majority will not experience any further issues in the future. Chiropractors use muscle therapy including trigger point therapy, myofascial release, stretching, massage, and Active Release Technique (ART) to relax and lengthen tight and spasmed muscles and simple exercise to strengthen weak muscles in order to restore balance to the jaw and realign the joints. Sometimes gentle manipulations of the TMJ are incorporated to realign the joint and reduce fixation within the joint. Ultrasound and electric muscle stimulation can be helpful, using a small probe applicator to apply the therapy directly to the muscles of mastication and the TMJ. The patient should avoid hard and chewy foods for a period of time and should refrain from chewing gum or hard candy if that proves to be a cause for concern. Stress reduction is another helpful activity which in turn can reduce teeth grinding. In some cases referral to a dental specialist is required to correct dental damage or to negate grinding of the teeth through the use of a night guard or a splint. In any case, patients that experience TMD for a period longer than 3 weeks should seek a medical evaluation by a dentist, chiropractor, or medical doctor.

When Grace Was Gone - 3 Reasons You May Not Get Intuitive Guidance

Grace was gone.

Our year and a half old, a one of kind comical and adorable basset - retriever rescue dog we adopted, was no where to be seen.

We live high on a mountain in northern New Mexico: rough terrain, ancient rocky arroyos and cliffs covered with dense pine, pinion and cedar trees.

Our location has too many predators - mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, bears, rattlesnakes and eagles - to allow a pet to roam without a leash. She had never been alone outdoors.

The dreaded doggie caper surprise escape had happened. Oh dear.

I called for help and neighbors offered to look for her. Our little search party took off in different directions.

Spiraling images flooded in as I hiked over steep hills and rocks... the what-might-happen kind of thoughts no pet lover wants to entertain.

I happen to make my living as a intuitive consultant. Now would be a great time to use this skill, right?

I tried. I tried again - then waited. No information, no nothing - not even a hint. I cleared my mind once more. Still nothing. Nothing?!

The viewing screen in my head which I really, really needed was just plain blank.

That is the worst feeling.

When our search team met up... Still no Grace.

Not until I was completely exhausted from searching, hiking, calling, crying, what if-ing, blaming myself, imagining the worst, and worrying, was I finally able to be still enough to receive guidance about her location.

Standing in the middle of the vegetable garden, out of ideas and seemingly, intuition - I surrendered. I turned my face up to the blue New Mexico sky and waited.

A raven flew over. Wind chimes sounded as the breeze moved through the forest. Communities of nuthatches and finches chirped and sang in the trees nearby. I began to feel the rhythm of nature around me. Peace at last.

When my mental "view finder screen" did kick in, there was a clear picture alright - just like a snapshot.

Except it could not be right.

I was viewing: THE INSIDE OF MY CLOSET!

Grace never left the house. I must not have seen her when I checked the closet (She may have been playing with me, standing behind the door wagging her tail).

Geez.

So much for my great and amazing psychic supernatural powers.

These are some basic reasons (here comes the lesson) why we do not always connect with inner guidance - in case you ever wondered about this.

Hey. S--t happens.

1. STRONG EMOTIONS (negative or positive) can block the guidance pop-up message or make the loading time slow. One might think that urgent communication or super important request would be best understood and noticed by the other realms IF delivered with emphasis (large print letters in red) or even a splash of drama with sound effects or a super spiritual sounding keyword. You know, to make sure one gets the attention of those who might be listening or taking human 911 calls that day.

Nope.

They have seen all those fancy frills and flourishes before and are waiting for your centered stillness to clear the lines. Then they speak.

From moderate panic and desperation to giddy excitement - if the frequency of your feelings is extreme, either way, it can read like a pattern of static or be a dropped call in the spirit realms. Your part is to rise above the turbulence and screen out the static in order to log onto the incoming email from Source.

Guidance comes from a non-local ISP where things are beautifully neutral,completely impartial and unconditionally constructive in the most wonderful way. One could say their ways are mysteriously different - from their place of residence.

NO RESPONSE OVER TIME. If your request for insight is centered around an ongoing, basically not time sensitive, situation and nothing is showing up, you may simply be missing it.

Other realms (from my experience), seem to enjoy sending a message in unusual packets of information at times.

I've received answers from black and white Turner Classic Movies, for example. I once received guidance from a cornball gangster movie script - terribly outdated yet so universal in application - that I have even shared it with certain clients. It has never failed to uplift their spirit, like an unexpected gift - just as it it did for me. Dreams, metaphors in books,an advertising jingle,casual conversation at work, or the punchline from a joke might be your answer presented in a creative way to get your attention. Don't look too hard for it or call everything a synchronicity, however. Let it happen.

For example, back in the day, after the end of my seemingly terrifying, end of the world divorce, I was in a minor traffic accident that left me with a whiplash Owie.

My chiropractor, whose conversational patter is the same with all patients, remarked, "Your body is locked in a defensive position." He meant the effects of the accident on my skeletal structure, but I heard the words in my soul. I knew it meant it was all right to let go of my divorce defense posture. It was over and done - now move on and be happy. For some reason I was able to accept the message better in this round about way. No need for my white knuckle grip. I would be OK.

1. Replies from Source are unlimited in presentation, so open your mind and prepare for a new way of receiving their loving, sometimes shocking and often humorous, delivery style.

3. GUIDANCE COMES FROM TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION PRACTICED REGULARLY.

To sum it up, I will share a true story.

I worked with a being from the Other Side named Charlie for a few years. One day I just knew he was moving on to his next gig, whatever that might be, I had a certain feeling it would be out of my current zip code.

I said "You're not coming back. Are you?" He responded, "Oh, you know how to reach me! Just call me up, like on the telephone."

I waited and one day I remembered his suggestion. So I called like he said. Ring, Ring...

I clearly heard inside my head, a recorded phone message: "Hello. This is Charlie. I am not available to take your call at this time. Please leave a message."

My lip trembled. Tears were coming because he said I could call.

Then it happened. Loud booming laughter from Charlie followed. "Now you know how we on this side feel when we try to reach you and get a busy signal."

Oh.

If you doubt my story, Trust Your Vibes and ask Sonia Choquette when you see her. I trained with her and later, she was a guest on my radio show. During the show, I shared the Charlie story with her (She trained in spiritual studies with Charlie when he lived in Chicago - she was sixteen).

After listening to my story, Sonia said, "Oh, I can hear him laughing right now!" She raised up both arms and waved them like a sinner at the alter in a Baptist church. We both loved him.

I was blessed to meet him after his physical departure. One of his gifts to me was this story which I often use today when I teach.

It just goes to show ya'.

You never know how, when or from where your guidance, your teaching or your Grace may come. Ponder that for a while. Might as well decide to embrace the mystery.

NUCCA Chiropractic - Five Steps to Begin Healing

When you have reached the point of saying, "enough is enough," and are ready to do something about the pain, consider finding a NUCCA practitioner to help you.

The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association serves the community by developing and teaching a specialty procedure that began within chiropractic over sixty years ago. So what does a NUCCA doctor do and what do they look for?

Step 1 - meet with your doctor and have a thorough consultation. He or she is looking for evidence that you are interested in doing something positive with your health and life. Also, you are met with detailed questions about how things feel and your history of accidents or surgeries.

Often, the doctor will immediately recognize certain groups of symptoms as characteristic of the condition known as the atlas subluxation complex. Among those are symptoms of jaw pain, headaches, neck pain, or even at the other end of the body; plantar fasciitis and tight hamstrings.

The atlas subluxation complex is a failure of the normal relationship between the skull, the atlas (first bone in the neck) and the neck below. When this is present, blood flow into the head is impaired, nerve flow out of the head is restricted, and the information from the neck joints to the brain sends wrong signals. Essentially, you have a "short" in the wiring.

Step 2 - the doctor will check your comparative leg length with you laying on your back. The short leg phenomenon is commonly thought of as "just the way people are!" However, the actual incidence of the anatomical short leg is estimated at from 1/700 people to about 1/2000 people. It is basically not a common problem. What people really have is the atlas subluxation complex that is making one leg LOOK short.

While you are on your back, and as the doctor is checking your leg length, you will be asked to turn your head to the right and then the left. If you have an actual anatomical short leg, the length will not change. If you have the atlas subluxation complex, your leg will relax and go even as you turn your head to one side. When you turn your head to the other side, the leg usually gets a lot shorter. (It has to do with the control center in the brain stem)

This simple test is an indicator that the pressure on the spinal cord is right there at the top of the neck. When you turn your head one way, the pressure is alleviated. When you turn it the other way, it is exacerbated.

Step 3 - The doctor will check the hip and shoulder tilt with a specially designed level. Most of the time, we will see that the low hip is also the side of the short leg! Go figure! If the short leg is only because of the tilting of the pelvis, then the high hip would be the same side as the short leg. So the short leg is sometimes related to spastic muscles in the low back, and sometimes related to wildly altered distribution of the nerve signals to the muscles.

Shoulder tilt can be related directly to the atlas subluxation complex, but it can also be related to the wrong prescription of glasses, malocclusion of the teeth, an old shoulder injury such as a separation of the acromio-clavicular joint, or some other distortion in the upper back. The important thing is to look and see what distortions your body is displaying.

These first three steps will show the doctor that, whether you have symptoms or not, you DO have the atlas subluxation complex. That is not good. It is compared with having undiscovered hypertension, heart disease or cancer. These are all serious problems that can kill you if you do not fix them!

Step 4 - The doctor will take accurate x-rays of your head and neck. These pictures reveal not only the pattern of the misalignment, but also give the doctor clear and accurate physical data about how to correct the problem. The pictures show whether the atlas shifted to the left or the right, whether it twisted forward or backward, and where the neck and skull moved in relation to each other. The pictures also show how much these bones moved into their different positions. All of this quantification is important because after the correction is made (step five) more x-rays are taken to measure how much reduction took place. A reduction of 90% usually means a person will have great results, although reductions of only 10% have also been shown to produce good results. The important thing is to look and see!

Step 5 - The doctor will make the correction. Most of the time this will be on a different day to give the doctor time to study the x-rays. You will not feel the correction, due to the light and controlled forces that are used. You will lay on your side on a special table that lies close to the floor. This low position allows the doctor to get his/her back on the correct angle for your unique misalignment pattern. With hands gently positioned next to your ear, at the edge of the atlas, the correction is made. Some doctors make more sounds of effort than others. You may hear grunting, huffing and puffing as the doctor tightens up the leg, back, shoulder and arm muscles, or you may hear nothing. It depends on the "finesse" of the adjusting doctor.

Once the doctor is satisfied that the adjustment is sufficient, we go through steps 2-4 again to find out if the postural distortions and leg-length discrepancy cleared. As mentioned, after the first correction, new x-rays are taken to prove that the misalignment complex moved appropriately to the right position.

About one percent of the time, a person will feel all better immediately. About four percent of the time, a person will feel very uncomfortable as the rest of the joints, tendons and ligaments in the body begin to move back to normal position and tension. Usually this clears within a week. About 45% of the population will begin feeling changes within a few days, and about 50% will need to wait for several weeks to begin feeling the changes that have taken place.

In summary, these five steps can be the only things separating you from a life without pain. If you are ready for a change, instead of looking for a chiropractor, look for Rockford's NUCCA chiropractor.

Running While Having Sciatica - How Chiropractic Care Can Help You Stay Active

Running provides several health benefits which makes it a great activity to stay healthy in mind and body. But when you are dealing with sciatica, it is a different story. To run while having a condition like this can be a real pain. When you run, you will usually feel pain start in your buttocks or legs. Many runners dealing with sciatic pain simply grin and bear with it.

The muscles affected by sciatica are also used when running. But actually, this activity does not cause sciatica. As a matter of fact, it can help prevent its onset. It tends to benefit sciatica because it works the same muscles that walking does but provides greater athletic challenge and an increased level of workout. While regular exercise can benefit your general health, certain running mechanics such as poor foot mechanics and poor posture can cause inflammation.

Running can easily be a method of treatment for sciatic pain as well as being its most prominent cause. As it is becoming increasingly popular in the treatment of a number of conditions, a runner must keep in mind though, that it is important to consult a fitness expert or a doctor before undertaking an intense running program. This is because when a person runs too much, it can cause some other complications and it is also likely to worsen the condition of the current ones.

Still however, individuals taking up running to address sciatica should also keep in mind that such exercise only provides temporary pain most likely due to the deprivation of oxygen and it does not also provide permanent treatment for it. While many runners simply cope with the pain, others use pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications. If pills cannot solve the problem, some doctors will recommend surgery.

Some other people prefer to treat the cause of the problem rather than the symptomatic pain. These treatments include physical therapy, manual therapy, massage, and chiropractic treatments. Most people who seek complementary and alternative health care choose chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic is a natural method that triggers a body's ability to heal. Vertebral subluxations have been implicated in many different types of leg pain. A chiropractic examination for subluxations can often trace the cause of sciatic pain directly to the spine. Sciatic pain is often addressed by correcting subluxations through adjustment.

A chiropractor sees a patient as a whole person and not just the sum of a person's parts. Chiropractors recognize that many factors affect a person's health, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, environment and heredity. Chiropractic care works in maintaining your body naturally healthy and improves the efficiency of the body function, helping you stay active.

Staying active helps a person with sciatica feel better, so giving up running is not an option. A chiropractor may recommend some exercises to improve functions of the muscles of the spine and lower extremities. With chiropractic care, enjoying physical activity without being too much restricted by sciatic pain can be made possible.

If I Go to a Chiropractor For My Neck Pain, Will I Have to Keep Going Forever?

I get asked this question and ones like it a lot; the short answer is YES. You probably did not expect me to say that did you? Probably if I was smart, I would come up with some compelling reasons why this is not true, but what can I say, the answer is YES.

Let's look at this a little more closely, and I will explain. First of all, NO, you don't really have to keep going to a chiropractor forever if you go once for neck pain, low back pain, headaches, or anything else like that. You don't have to do anything except pay taxes (or something like that). However, there are three basic reasons that people tend to return to a chiropractor after going once. Let's talk about them.

The first reason is a really bad reason, and I would advise you to make sure that you don't keep going back to a chiropractor for this reason. Reason number one: you get told that if you don't keep coming for a long time that you will end up having surgery, or being paralyzed, or something even worse. This is not true, but some chiropractors out there still insist on feeding their patients this line of bull. The real reason here is that it works out well for the Chiropractor's pocketbook. If you hear something like this, run!

Reason number two: Many patients do not realize how bad they are hurting, or how bad it is affecting their lives until they start feeling better after getting adjusted by a Chiropractor. They may go through the normal period of corrective care (usually a couple of months) and for the most part feel normal again. Here is the kicker though, after you have been adjusted by a good chiropractor and your body really begins to feel great, you want to keep it that way. Also, you are now much more aware of what your body is supposed to feel like, so when it begins to feel just a little bit off, you want to get back to normal, quick! Hence the frequent return to the chiropractor for "maintenance" adjustments.

OK, the final reason: Can you ever stop eating? Can you ever stop breathing? Sleeping? You get the point, something are necessary for life. Are Chiropractic adjustments as important as eating and breathing? Of course not! Think about this though, let's say you are 75lbs overweight and you have horrible eating habits and you don't exercise. Now, go on a diet and start working out at the gym. For the sake of our example we will pretend that in 16 months you have lost the 75lbs, are eating great, and exercise regularly. What is going to happen if you all of a sudden stop? What if you go back to your old habits? Will you keep the weight off, or will you end up right back where you were? The same is true with Chiropractic adjustments. In order to keep the spine as healthy as possible you have to keep up healthy habits, like getting adjusted on a regular basis.

Now we have covered why a person might keep going to a Chiropractor "forever." Does that mean that if you go to a Chiropractor for a specific problem that you absolutely have to go back forever? No, it is still a free world. A good Chiropractor is going to explain the importance of "maintaining" a healthy spine however, and whether you choose to listen or not, is entirely up to you.

How Chiropractic Care Can Prevent Work Injuries

Preventing injuries on the job costs far less for companies than treating ongoing injures that are related to the job. This is why many companies are enlisting the services of chiropractors in order keep the workplace a safer area for employees.

Preventing Work Injuries

Many chiropractors will come into the workplace and assess the employees how they currently work in order to gain a better understanding of how the work environment could improve in order to prevent injuries in the first place. For example, if the assessment shows that employees are lifting inappropriately, action can be taken in order to train employees to correctly lift.

Initial Spinal Screening

In addition, many employers have chiropractors do an initial spinal screening of employees to find out if their spines are out of alignment and to take note of each employee's pain information, if any. In addition, by performing a simple spinal screening of each employee, it can help establish a baseline for where the employee is right now in order to prevent future injuries.

Establishing a Safer Work Environment

Moreover, establishing a safer work environment means that your employees are less likely to miss work or become temporarily or permanent injuries on the job. Corporations that have employees that participate in physical labor, such as maintenance and construction, have higher instances of injuries on the job. This can cost companies a great deal of money in missed work, workman's compensation claims, or long-term disability.

Furthermore, by screening each employee, the doctor of chiropractic can determine if there are pre-existing conditions that the employee has that need care in order to prevent injuries on the job. More businesses are using the services of chiropractors as a way to cut down on workplace injuries and to increase productivity. When employees are healthy and pain-free, the productivity increases and therefore, the company is making more money.

Traditional Pharmaceuticals can Lead to Addiction but Not Relief

Traditional methods of managing injuries on the job simply do not work for everyone and it can be expensive. Many people that are treated for workplace injuries are given narcotics, which are extremely addictive and can easily turn into a lifelong addition with prescription pain medication. At the same time, if the person cannot feel the pain because of the narcotics, they could be further causing injury.

Final Thoughts

Chiropractic has come a long way over the years and many companies are looking to doctors of chiropractic to help make the workplace safer and help reduce workplace injuries. Natural methods of health and injury prevention makes the employees happy and more productive and the bigger company can focus on the business.

The 5 Top Tips When Choosing a Chiropractor

As my wife and I have recently found out, choosing a qualified health care professional for our family is not an easy task. Luckily, we do not have a difficult choice when choosing a chiropractor, but here are some tips when you and your family are in need of a Doctor of Chiropractic.

5. Choose a chiropractor that is in a convenient location.

This is not to say we don't absolutely love our patients who find us from afar, or stay under our care after they have moved an hour away. You should also not pick a chiropractor based SOLELY on convenience. However, if your new chiropractor maps out a care plan and strategy for you health, the best chance for you follow these recommendations is to have easy access to their office.

4. Verify that the chiropractor you choose has a valid license with no restrictions to practice in your state.

This tip may seem like a no brainer, but if you follow the happenings in any profession that requires licensure, incidents of people claiming to be something they are not are more common then you think.

The no restrictions item involves action taken against a chiropractors license. The way to check a chiropractor's license status for the state of Washington is through this LINK. In my opinion if my family is choosing between two chiropractors and one has a restriction and one doesn't, it only makes sense to choose the one who doesn't.

3. Ask your friends and family for recommendations for a good chiropractor. Read reviews but proceed with caution.

There is not much better then a personal recommendation from a friend, family member, or a knowledgeable person in the community. If these are not available in your area it is great to go to local community review sites and forums, and quite possibly sites like Google and Yelp.

Review sites can be wonderful, and they are currently the way most internet users make decisions when purchasing goods and services. I have found that is pretty easy to figure out legitimate reviews from reviews planted by the manufacturer, or owner of a business. The same rules apply for all professional health providers.

Please be wary of any obvious attack or slander that has been targeted at a certain office. I am reminded of a Sonoma chiropractor review I was emailed by a colleague, and it was vicious. The chances are that it was done by a competitor or a mortal enemy. My hope is that people see through such things. These rules apply for Google, Yahoo, Yelp, and even Bing.

2. Have an understanding of the type of chiropractic technique the chiropractor will utilize when adjusting.

There are many types of techniques a chiropractor can utilize when adjusting a patient.

My office, for example, would be considered a family practice that uses osseous adjusting techniques which would be classified as Gonstead, Diversified, and Thompson Drop Table. We are also certified in Activator Methods, Sacro Occipital Technique, and the Webster protocol.

We use the technique most appropriate for each person current health and physical condition, health goals, and also take the age of the patient into consideration. We even consider what the patient might be most comfortable with, as long as the technique we utilize will be most effective.

That being said, I have a great appreciation for the effects that chiropractic techniques like NUCCA, Atlas-Orthogonal, and Network chiropractic care can have on the nervous system and a persons health.

The problem ends up being what your expectation of what a chiropractor does, and it might be an idea to familiarize yourself with the description of the technique on the considered chiropractor's website, or calling the office to know which technique may be utilized.

1. Ask for a free no-obligation consultation.

The answer to this question will speak volumes about the chiropractic office you are considering. It should also speak volumes about anyone who won't take a few minutes of your time to see if they can help you when you are considering utilizing their service, but that is another topic altogether.

This consultation should be the clincher on deciding who you would like to see. It isn't an interview, but it is a chance to see if you mesh with the chiropractor, the office team, and the overall environment you will be in while achieving better health.

Let's face it, everyone's time is extremely valuable and nobody wants it wasted. However, in the health service industry, a chiropractic office I would like to be in one that is there for me, and values MY time, not the other way around.

This can be seen in the amount of time it takes each time you see your chiropractor. The convenience of the days each week and hours each day a chiropractor has available for you.

I hope all of these tips can be put to good use when selecting a chiropractor for you, and may you soon be receiving a chiropractic adjustment!

When Is a Headache More Than Just a Headache?

Neck pain and stiffness is a common problem which affects everyone from time to time. Neck pain can result in headaches, a condition which is known as a cervicogenic headache, or "originating from the neck". Often, we pop a pill and wait it out, expecting a resolution. We rarely pay much attention unless the discomfort becomes chronic or interferes with our daily routines. It becomes clear to the chronic sufferer of neck and head pain that there must be a better way. Following is an overview of the most common symptoms of neck pain that may require treatment as well as its possible causes:

The neck does much more than simply support the head; it's combination of structures and mechanisms, when working properly, serve to align and balance the whole upper torso. Aberrations in any of the elements that make up the neck may result in pain and dysfunction.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of severe neck issues that should be assessed and treated by your Chicago chiropractor:

1. Persistent headaches that may go on for months.

2. Significant limitations in head and neck movement. Reductions in rotation (turning), flexion (chin to chest), extension (looking up) and lateral flexion (moving the head from side to side) may indicate conditions are more serious than a simple pulled muscle.

3. When you move your head/neck, the pain you experience in this area becomes worse, feels sharp, or shoots down one or both arms.

If any of these symptoms is present, you should visit your Chiropractor immediately. A thorough exam can discern between minor issues and serious problems such as degenerative discs, bulging or herniated discs, progressive degenerative joints (arthritis), or other serious conditions. A competent chiropractor in Chicago is always available to help get chronic neck pain and headache sufferers the relief they need and have had such trouble finding.

What Are Long-Tail Keywords and How It Can They Increase Your Business's Profitability?

Not Using Long-tail Keywords? Long-tail keywords are a god-send to anybody who uses search engines for traffic. This goes for both paid traffic and organic traffic. A long-tail keyword is a key term that's more than three words long.

Examples would be...

* Orlando plumbing specialists
* Family doctor in Chicago
* Remodeling companies near Houston

OR chiropractor in New York, Chinese restaurant in Texas, Salsa dancing classes in Seattle. Since you're probably a localized business, focus on keywords that use your city name. This way you're guaranteed to find people who are in your area looking for your services.

Use this tool to search for keywords that have a good number of searches every month - https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

If you spot anything with more than 400 searches per month, you'd better be bidding on that keyword. The reason to use these keywords is simple - most businesses aren't. They still get a lot of traffic, but people just don't know any better. They are extremely easy to optimize for, and they are much cheaper than the shorter terms if you're using PPC.

To find Long tail keywords, you really need to put yourself in your prospect's shoes. You want to know what they are typing when searching for your product by standing on the other side of the fence. Also long tail keywords usually signals prospect's buying intentions. Think about it...the reason why the prospect has gone through the effort to type in long phrase instead of 'root' keyword most probably means they are searching seriously and know what they are looking for.

Contraindications of Chiropractic Manipulation Under Anesthesia

According to the latest statistics, musculoskeletal injuries are the most common form of injuries seen in individuals of all age groups. While choosing a therapy whether surgical, medical or alternative medicine; the need is to choose a therapy that is cost-effective, economical and suitable for the injury. Chiropractic manipulation is helpful in a number of cases. Chiropractors are registered healthcare professionals who can identify, diagnose and treat injuries or pathology involving neuromuscular tissues.

Chiropractic procedures are generally safe but if spinal manipulation has to be performed, it is recommended to opt for manipulation under anesthesia considering the severity of pain and discomfort during procedure. However, it is a matter of personal choice and most patients who opt for spinal manipulation under anesthesia must have undertaken at least 6 to 8 sessions of non-manipulative chiropractic management to make the final choice.

In some circumstances, spinal manipulation has to be performed under anesthesia for better muscle control. The benefits of using anesthesia under spinal manipulation are many. Spinal manipulation under anesthesia is mostly performed in patients with chronic fibrosis or repeated back surgeries that lead to scar formation and result in an overall decreased spinal range of movement. Using anesthesia in these patients improves the muscular motion by shutting off spasmodic muscular pain giving a higher degree of liberty to the chiropractor to perform manipulation. It is also performed in chronic nerve entrapment syndromes. Under the influence of anesthesia, inflamed and irritated nerves also get sedated that makes it easier for the chiropractor to perform spinal manipulation and it will also be easier for patient to bear the pain. Chronic torticollis and fibromyalgia are also special indications in which spinal manipulation under anesthesia is performed. Under anesthesia, the chiropractor can loosen up scar tissue and adhesions by optimal relaxation of small muscle groups. Nerve issues like pseudo-sciatica in which the nerves are sensitive and inflamed is another indication. The risk of procedure induced pain and stiffness is very high with manual manipulation unless anesthesia is used.

Manual spinal manipulation must be avoided in certain conditions where manipulation may affect the integrity of bones or may lead to a life threatening sequelae. This includes deranged bones that are weak and fragile, disorders of bone that are associated with local bone destruction (like tumor or bone abscess) and other circulatory or neurological disorders.

The contraindications of spinal manipulation under anesthesia include complicative bone disorders like tumor causing cord compression as any manipulation may distort bone and may lead to tumor lysis syndrome that may prove life threatening. Acute gouty attack or acute attack of arthritis is another contraindication for the procedure as the inflamed tissue is more sensitive to pain and post-procedure pain and discomfort may significantly alter normal daily activities. Moreover, the healing process will also be slow and impaired in inflamed tissues. Fracture of the neighboring bone is an absolute contraindication to any spinal manipulation and in any such case, the procedure should be delayed until the fracture is reduced and healed. This is because fractured bony fragments may dislodge from the site of manipulation and may affect the integrity of neighboring soft tissues. Active bone infections or the presence of abscess like state (Syphilitic arthritis, Gonorrheal arthritis) or osteopenic bone disorders like osteoporosis are an absolute contraindication for chiropractic manipulation under anesthesia due to the risk of post-procedure sepsis and risk of fractures as a result of bone fragmentation respectively. Other contraindications include uncontrolled diabetic neuropathy and similar issues.

Although chiropractic manipulation under anesthesia is a great choice in individuals who are not ideal candidates for manual spinal manipulation, certain medical and organic issues can interfere with the efficacy of therapy. It is therefore recommended to discuss your case with your healthcare provider before choosing chiropractic manipulation under anesthesia.

Does Chiropractic Really Work?

Chiropractic has been around for over a hundred years, and has been used to help everyone from tiny babies to the elderly. Even top sports star and entertainers... like Tiger Woods, Emmitt Smith, Tony Robbins, Joe Montana, Lance Armstrong, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mel Gibson. In fact, the U.S. government is so convinced chiropractic works they've been paying for it through the Medicare system for 30 years. All major insurance companies in the United states cover chiropractic care for short term relief of neck and back pain as numerous studies have proven the cost effectiveness of chiropractic care.In addition to that, here's what some of the top medical researchers had to say about chiropractic."Manipulation [chiropractic adjustments], with or without exercise, improved symptoms more than medical care did after both 3 and 12 months."- British Medical Journal.

Another study stated the following: "Chiropractor's manipulation of the spine was more helpful than any of the following: traction, massage, biofeedback, acupuncture, injection of steroids into the spine and back corsets, and ultrasound." -- Stanley Bigos, MD, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery. There's an endless list of health problems chiropractic can help with. For example, here's what a recent study on chiropractic and high blood pressure found. "This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination... And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems" said study leader George Bakris, MD, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center.

Why Suffer With Years Of Misery? The big myth about health problems is "maybe it will just go away on its own." A 1998 study in the British Medical Journal proved this myth false, showing that most back pain sufferers who do nothing will have pain 12 months later. That's no way to live, not when there could be an easy solution to your problem.

There are powerful formulas for helping conquer debilitating neck and back pain problems that can often get in the way of living a normal, productive life. This formula combines both chiropractic and exercise in moderation to eliminate back pain and prevent damage in the future. Back and neck pain are largely the product of inactivity and static posture. The goal of the chiropractor is to improve range of motion to the joints, decrease muscle spasms around the spinal joints and prescribe an easy to follow home exercise program that will help to maximize the results obtained form chiropractic care.

This latter part of a patient's care is referred to as active care. Chiropractic care moves in a progression from passive care (meaning the doctor does the work) to active care (meaning the patient does rehab exercises for muscle strength and flexibility). It is most beneficial to get patients started on active care as soon as possible for maximum results. In fact, most patients in our office are started on active care immediately unless they are in acute pain and cannot do so. This may simply include walking for 10-15 minutes a couple times a day and will progress as the patient improves.

Chiropractic and exercise are a powerful combination when implemented properly and can empower patients to a better pain free life.

Chiropractic Marketing - Google's Pay Per Click is Vital

Google's Pay Per Click is the fastest form of online chiropractic marketing. You simply have to open an account and get a website or even just a landing page. You then bid on how much you will pay for each click you get when your ad shows up. This is a live bidding auction, hence the more people who bid at the same time that you do, the more you will pay. Once you have won the bidding, you will be requested to fill in ad details.

The number of times your ad shows up depends on how much your budget is and how much each ad costs. Google Pay Per Click will continue to show your ads until your daily budget is used up. The bigger your budget, the more ads shall be shown. This can be a very good source of leads when properly done. However, it can also be an incredible expense with no return if not set up properly. Here are some things to take note of:

• Choose your keywords wisely. Keywords are the words or phrases that are typed in the Google Search Engine and prompts your ad to show up. Check Google AdWords tool to make sure that you are using the right keyword for your business. Don't use keywords that are too common and would otherwise be a waste of ad. For instance, don't just use the keyword "chiropractor" because the searcher might actually be looking for the meaning of the word chiropractor. Don't make it too specific either because customers may not be typing the exact phrase that you provided.


• Have a regulated search radius. Some companies choose a 60-mile radius to "get clicks", which is more of a waste of clicks. This is because possible patients would not go too far for a chiropractor in another town. They would rather opt for one within his or her vicinity.


• Hire a professional. If you are just new in online marketing, it would be best to hire a professional. Professionals would know how to properly allocate your budget, maximize your ads and choose the right key words. There are over 100 chiropractic key words as well as negative key words and other parameters that should be factored into a successful campaign.

Good luck and happy bidding on your key words.

What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?

Understanding a Chiropractic adjustment

The word "Chiropractic" comes from the Greek meaning "treatment by hand". Chiropractic adjusting is a highly skilled treatment performed by trained professionals. The chiropractor uses his or her hands to apply a very quick, precise, and safe amount of pressure directly to the affected area of your spine. During an adjustment you may hear a "popping sound" (cavitation) which occurs with the shifting of gas bubbles and fluid in the joint. The presence or "loudness" of this sound has little meaning and varies with each patient. Specific chiropractic adjustments will help return individual spinal bones to their proper motion and position. It focuses on the SOURCE of your pain and discomfort, not the symptoms. It is hands on treatment that works.

There are basically two types of dysfunctional joints: hypermobile joints, which have too much movement and may become unstable, and hypomobile joints, which are not mobile enough. The joints, which should be adjusted, are the hypomobile ones, as they are restricted. A joint can become hypomobile or "subluxated" due to excessive strain, physical, chemical, emotional stress on the body. When a joint is hypomobile, the joints above and below try to compensate for the lack of motion and inevitably become hyper mobile. When people crack their own joints, they are affecting the hypeRmobile joints, not the ones that really need it. Self-cracking is not healthy because it adds to the excessive motion of the hypermobile joints, decreases the stability of ligaments and grinds the joint.

A proper adjustment is given to a subluxated joint, with a quick thrust directed along the proper angle so the joint will not be irritated. The speed will eliminate the need for a lot of force and reduce the strain put on ligaments. Most people experience a sense of relief immediately after cavitation. This is because, after cavitation, there is a release of endorphins which are your body's natural painkillers. However, chiropractic adjustment is not just for back pain or neck pain. The goal of adjustments is not "chase" symptoms, but to remove the nerve interference and restore health and well-being to your body.

When you experience tightness or pain, stretching should be done. If 'cracking' occurs while stretching, don't worry. Stretching gently is healthy, but do not purposefully 'crack' your own joints.

How Chiropractic Can Help Kids Chronic Sprained Ankles and Pigeon Toes

Parents often become concerned when they notice their child running awkwardly, being "pigeon toed" (also known as in-toeing), or when they repeatedly sprain their ankles. Your child my trip or fall more often than seems normal, you may notice them rolling their ankles inward (AKA excessive pronation), or their foot may have a "hooked appearance". There are three conditions which can cause these problems and depending on which condition and the age of your child they may require intervention to correct. The good news is that serious interventions such as wearing leg braces or surgery are not usually needed in these cases.

1. Tibial torsion - This is fairly common condition where the tibia or "shin bone" has not rotated into the position where it will be during adulthood. Tibial torsion is considered normal until the age of 7 years. However excessive toe-in between 2 and 7 years my warrant consultation with a doctor. Your child may have excessive pronation seen by weight bearing on the big toe side of the foot much more than the pinky toe side.

What your Chiropractor can do - Your Chiropractor can adjust a subluxated (misaligned) joints in the legs and show you how to stretch the proper muscles while strengthening others. Your Chiropractor may also be able to fit your child with custom shoe orthotics to help correct the excessive pronation.

What you can do - Buy shoes with flexible soles and good arch support such as athletic shoes. Also, getting your child involved in sports or activities which emphasize running such as soccer will help to strengthen the muscles of the legs and provide good muscle length.

2. Femoral torsion - This is similar to tibial torsion except in this case the femur or "thigh bone" is the one that is out of position. This is another common condition that usually resolves on its own by 8 years of age. Again excessive pronation may be seen as well as bowing back of the knees and an excessive curve in the low back.

What your Chiropractor can do - Chiropractic treatment will be similar to that of tibial torsion, adjustments/stretching/strengthening only focusing on the hip instead of the knee and lower leg.

What you can do - Again good shoes are in order. Sports in this case should include those that work out the hips such as bicycling, ballet, or gymnastics. Also, encouraging your child to sit cross legged will stretch the muscles holding the leg in a toe-in position.

3. Metatarsus adductus - This one is a little different than the other two in that it involves the feet instead of the legs. In this case the toe-in occurs in the foot itself. This condition is normal until 1 year of age is a common problem in school age children.

What your Chiropractor can do - Adjusting will focus on the bones of the feet and orthotics may be used if the problem persists beyond 7 years of age

What you can do - Gently stretching your child's foot toward the pinky toe several times a day will help to loosen up the tight tissues.

In all cases, it is important to ensure your children's shoes are well-fitting with plenty of room and no stress points. Also, having your child go barefoot more often encourages better motor control and position sense.

A note on Chiropractic adjustments: Many doctors, including those at Fletcher Hills Chiropractic use low-force techniques such as Activator technique that are much more gentle and less intimidating for children. Ask your Chiropractor what techniques he uses.

This article by a San Diego Chiropractor is a review of an article from the March 12th issue of Dynamic Chiropractor by Dr. Mark Charrette. Read the entire article here Dynamic Chiropractor

Understanding the Lifetime Value of a Chiropractic Patient

Thinking about investing some money in Chiropractic Marketing? Well how much should you spend? The answer depends on home much you think new patients are worth. This article shows you how to figure out the value of a new chiropractic patient to the chiropractor. We look at three key factors: the immediate revenue stream, the long-term referrals and the incremental cost.
 
First, you need to figure out how much revenue you would expect to see for providing the sought after chiropractic treatment. Assuming that you charge $70 per session and will do an average of 25 sessions, that means you will get immediate revenue of $1,750. Don't know what these averages are for your clinic, then have your office manager look through your records and figure out some rough estimates. This is something you need to be tracking.
 
Second, figure out how much revenue this patient will generate in the long-term. Do your patients tend to come back? Do your patients refer their friends when they have a sore back? Lets assume that the average patient will come and see you two additional times over their lifetime, making an additional 50 sessions. Lets also assume they will refer an average of one other patient, so that is another 75 sessions. That is another $8,750 in long-term revenue.
 
Finally, you need to figure out how much it costs you to deliver this additional treatment. For most chiropractors the incremental cost for each additional patients is low. You have already paid for your rent and don't need to pay any more for additional patients. Similarly, your office manager, equipment and utilities don't increase if you have any extra patients. You probably have to pay your massage therapist for an extra half hour of treatment and have to pay for a few miscellaneous supplies. Lets assume that totals $20 per visit. Now for the extra 150 chiropractic sessions that you performed, that amounts to $3000.
 
So how much is an extra patient worth. Add up the total of the immediate revenue stream, the long-term referrals and subtract the incremental cost. For our example, an extra patient was worth $7,500. 
 
Surprised? Your numbers may be different, but they are probably much higher than you thought. The key is that new patients really cost very little to see because everything is already paid for. And over their lifetime each patient brings in a lot of revenue, you just don't notice because it arrives in lots of very small chunks. So go forth and market!

Preventing Hamstring Injuries With Chiropractic Intervention

Hamstring injuries are common for runners, gymnasts, football players, and other athletes whose sports programs are physically demanding on the lower extremities. This common exposure to injury means that most athletes incorporate preventative measures into their training program to minimize the risk of hamstring strains and injuries.

Traditional, best practice methods for preventing a hamstring injury include proper strength training of the hamstring muscles (back of the thigh) to ensure that they are equally balanced with the quadriceps muscles (front of the thigh), and ample warm-up and stretching of the muscles before beginning exercise and training. In an effort to improve preventative care, researchers also recently found that "the addition of a sports chiropractic intervention to the current best practices" methods significantly reduced leg muscle strains, thus supporting the addition of chiropractic care as a preventative treatment for hamstring injuries.1

The randomized controlled study followed Australian football players over the course of one playing season to determine if a sports chiropractic intervention reduced the number of lower limb strains and weeks missed on the field. The control group received only the traditional best practice care but the intervention group received both the traditional best practice care and a sports chiropractic intervention.

The players receiving the sports chiropractic intervention were treated with a variety of chiropractic manual therapies including manipulations or mobilizations (adjustments) made to the spine and extremities. The researchers noted a statistically significant decrease in the number of hamstring strains for the chiropractic intervention group when compared to the control group, which received no chiropractic intervention.

Chiropractors are licensed Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) and Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP) are Doctors of Chiropractic with a special certification in treating sports injuries and optimizing physical fitness. A chiropractor with specialized training as a chiropractic sports physician uses his or her expertise and advanced training of the biomechanics of the body to create individualized programs of care for athletes, which may involve speed, strength, and conditioning programs, and preventative and rehabilitative programs.

Sports specific conditioning and training of the leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings) has also been shown in studies to reduce hamstring strains and injuries. According to one journal study, "increasing the amount of anaerobic interval training, stretching whilst the muscle is fatigued, and implementing sport specific training drills resulted in a significant reduction in the number and consequences of hamstring muscle strain injuries."2

Preventative measures can help minimize the risk of hamstring injury and reduce the severity if injured. Hamstring injuries are accompanied by mild to severe pain in the back of the leg, tenderness, and/or bruising. If a hamstring injury is detected, immediate care is required for optimal recovery. The chiropractor or other treating physician usually recommends RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). An over the counter anti-inflammatory may also be recommended to reduce inflammation and swelling. In severe cases of a hamstring tear, surgery may be required to reattach the hamstring.

Engaging a chiropractor in a preventative sports chiropractic intervention program has helped many athletes play longer, healthier, and stronger, and reduce the risk of painful, frustrating injuries.

References

1. Hoskins W, Pollard H. The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 Apr 8;11:64.

2. Verrall GM, Slavotinek JP, Barnes PG. The effect of sports specific training on reducing the incidence of hamstring injuries in professional Australian Rules football players. Br J Sports Med. 2005 Jun;39(6):363-8.

Chiropractic Tools

Chiropractic Tools, you use them all day, they are the 'tools of your trade' after all. Just the way the wrench is to the mechanic, and the hammer is to the carpenter. Those tools help those professional trades people do their jobs and give the customers the product or service they are looking for. Tools are used in all professions, only chiropractor's use some tools directly on the patient to restore health and either lessen or rid pain from their bodies and lives.

Today there are many chiropractic tools that weren't around 20 years ago. One such tool is the adjustment table. True you have always had a table, but back a few years ago it was just a flat table the patient climbed up on and laid down. However, now you have power controls that can raise and lower the table height, movable head, mid, and feet/legs sections. Amazing tool that helps you treat the patient and their issues in a fuller range.

There are some which have almost remained unchanged, such as traction. Basically, the patient sits into position and your assistants strap them in. I always thought this felt rather good. Now, you can prescribe the patient take unit home to do their own neck traction. What a superb benefit this has for them.

Relatively new guys on the chiropractic tools scene are the handheld inventions that look like handheld power tools. These help you reach an area which may be too sensitive to any other mode of adjustment. These tools help you zero in on that area, focus treatment there and help the patient. If I may interject here, they feel amazing, like a little hammer pounding on the sore spot.

Let's not forget the computer you use to record your SOAP notes on, it is a chiropractic tool also. Admittedly all you do is record the patient note on them, and has less aid to the patient. Other than if the computer system is sort of quick and you can get the patient on their way sooner rather than later. Is this the system you currently have? Did you know there is a better computer soap note system available?

There are now high-tech chiropractic computer systems that record the established patient note in less than 15 seconds, and one boasts a 10 second note creation. This chiropractic tool is a chiropractic dream come true, no more using the mouse with the touch screen technology available. The fine exact detail of the diagrams can help you actually show the patient the area of their spinal problem. Systems that produce reports for you in seconds flat, and even save you money by helping your office go paperless. Now this is an area of modern technology that has benefited both the chiropractor and the patient in wonderful ways. Saving time and therefore money for both.

How to Improve Your Chiropractic Collections at the Front Desk

In today's economy and health care marketplace, chiropractic offices frequently face challenges when collecting co-pays, deductibles, co-insurances and other balances due from patients. Unfortunately, ignoring the problem only makes it worse. Learn how to set up some simple systems for collecting the right way, every time from your chiropractic patients.

It used to be that if you failed to collect money from patients, that you either lost out on income and/or created collections issues for yourself. Asking for money is now an absolute necessity for two reasons: 1) lost income and 2) failure to ask for money that a patient owes the practice could lead to a breach of your chiropractic provider participation agreement as well as potentially creating a False Claim to the insurance carriers.

Unfortunately, in the 80's, many chiropractors created a monster in that we allowed patients believe that their coinsurance was optional. I don't personally know any clinics that are still stupid enough to engage in this practice; however, the stigma still exists.

To make collecting even more challenging, some patients believe that you, the chiropractor, make enough money and that you do not need the extra $20 or $30 bucks. They claim financial hardship and proceed to drive off in their Lexus, while you are so undercapitalized that you give your practices loans to make payroll.

You want another laugh? Many MD's over the past few years have sought other ways to make up for lost revenues by adding ancillary services to their service mix. Take, for example, the Obstetrics and Gynecological practice that now offers weight management, laser hair removal or skin resurfacing. Interestingly enough, these services are paid in cash, in advance, before the services is even rendered.

What's worse is that some of the very same patients who are lined up to pay cash for these cosmetic services (which usually total in the hundreds or thousands of dollars) are the same patients who gripe and complain when it comes to paying their $20 coinsurance or their $250 deductible.

Certainly, I am not stating that there are not financial hardships. When you run across a chiropractic patient with a legitimate financial issue on hand, you should have written policies in place to handle that. What I AM trying to convey is to eliminate excuses that patients use for non-payment. In short, be very cautious about allowing your patients to dictate how you run your practice.

Doctor (and staff), Heal Thyself
Sometimes, we (and our staff) are the biggest threat to good collections.

Ever watch your Chiropractic Assistant try to collect a co-pay? I have some seen some staff members ask a patient to pay their co-payment and literally duck as soon as the words come out of their mouth so as not to be hit by a thrown object! Bad sign, my friend. Get that person away from the front desk.

Another common problem is the attitude we use when collecting patient copayments. What do you think happens when your staff says to the patient "Would you like to pay now or should we bill you? What on earth do you think they are going to say? "By all means, bill me!" Don't blame the patient. It's the attitude of your staff that is the issue - they are acting like payments are optional. Train this person quickly or liberate them to find another job.

The Biggest Collection Problem in the Chiropractic Practice
Where does the biggest source of collections problem typically lurk in our practices? The Doctors -- of course! What do most of us say when a patient gripes or complains to them about what they are having to pay out of pocket to come and see them? "Don't worry about it, I'll handle it!

If we heard one of our staff members say this, we would go ballistic; yet these very words spew out of our mouths frequently when it comes time to discuss money!

The Golden Rule for Collections
Ok, here is Tom Necela's "Golden Rule" regarding collections, you ready for this? Get your highlighters and pens ready because this is the pay-off for the entire article. Ready? Are you sure? Last chance to get the highlighter!

Here it goes, "Never let the doctor get involved with a patient face to face or on the phone over finances." Period. The end!

Doc, this is the beginning of the end for good collections procedures. When the chiropractor gets involved, it forever alters the physician/patient relationship and you can never get that back. In addition, this is where your billing manager and your staff -- who are charged with the responsibility of collecting from the patients -- get permanently discredited.

Yes, I said permanently. Why? You tell me, doc! If your well-trained staff tries to collect and YOU let the patient slide one time -- what's to prevent them from repeating the same behavior in the future?! Don't do it. Train your staff well, train them often, give them consequences for non-performance and performance based bonuses.

And then, let them do their job!

Chiropractic Soup Nazi Beware!
Now, I know there are those of you out there who say, "Not in my practice Cowboy!" We collect from EVERYONE! Although this is typically less of a problem, I do have to address the other "extreme" of collections.

I do believe there are offices that are a little too efficient at collections. There is also a problem with this. I have seen how some of your staff handle your patients collections and they are like Seinfeld's famed "Soup Nazi" -- no soup for you!

You have what I refer to as the "bull dog" sitting at the check out area and when a patient tries to leave without paying their portion they attack like a dog going after a piece of raw meat! You know the type, they will literally wrestle the patient to the floor before letting them slide on a payment.

I once was at a chiropractic clinic where I literally watched in amazement as an incredibly rude, mean, and just plain scary front desk C.A. frightened patients into paying. She was totally consistent, but the vibe was way wrong. In fact, one of the patients in the waiting room witnessed her behavior and joked: "These docs must be making a lot of money. They got a bodyguard at the front desk to protect them!"

Yes, these offices get the money, but it's bad for business, folks.

Find Happiness in the Middle
In short, collect everything you can. Give patients many possible ways to pay. Do this all while being nice about it and they will pay you.

Chiropractor - A Controversial Medical Profession

Chiropractic is a science and a medical profession that had officially existed for more than 100 years, but its techniques were practiced since ancient times. Described by many as holistic medicine, chiropractic considers not only your physical well-being, but also your psychical health. Chiropractic provides for a medical care system with proven results and it's a more natural approach to treating disorders of the musculo-skeletal system and nervous system, including back pain, neck pain, headaches and much more.

Chiropractic Is a Natural, Non-Invasive Approach to Health Care

Doctors of chiropractic practice a non-invasive, drug-free medical profession. Although chiropractors might provide nutritional counseling, it is always recommended to ask a certified nutritionist for advice concerning drastic diets. Chiropractors might also recommend, where necessary, other non-invasive therapies such as medical gymnastics or physiotherapy. Do remember: chiropractors do not prescribe drugs. Period.

Now what's so special about chiropractic and why is this profession becoming more and more popular these days? Well, simply because it offers a better alternative than drugs to health problems and disorders related to the spine, pelvis and the extremities. The main technique used by chiropractors to treat several disorders is called spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and the uniqueness of this profession stays in the idea that SMT influences positively the nerve flow.

If you suffer of back or neck pain, you probably need to pay a visit to a chiropractor. There is already enough evidence that SMT does relieve back pain and the advantage is that it works faster than physiotherapy, being less invasive than drugs or chirurgical interventions. Well, there are situations when chirurgical intervention is compulsory, but for normal disorders or for recovery after a surgery, chiropractic is the best alternative. Chiropractic is not synonym with SMT as many people believe. Other doctors of medicine, including orthopedists, physiatrist and sports medicine practitioners, also use this technique. What Is a Chiropractor?

A very important thing you should know is that chiropractic cannot treat just any health disorder and that chiropractors, although they do have a very solid medical background, are not doctors of medicine (MD) but doctors of chiropractic (DC). This means that they will recognize symptoms of a certain disease, but will not treat it without the "referral" from your medical doctor. You should also understand that a chiropractor is not a healer. Once again: chiropractors have medical background, they go through a rigorous professional education, equivalent to the education of the doctors of medicine. They are trained in using medical equipment required for performing their profession accurately (X-rays, investigative equipment, etc). Chiropractors are not homeopaths either, but there are plenty of homeopaths that claim that they have chiropractic knowledge. Don't let yourself fooled by such claims. There might be chiropractors with homeopathic knowledge, but there is no such a thing as a homeopath with chiropractic knowledge, unless he or she has a doctor of chiropractic diploma.

So, chiropractors are not healers but they are holistic practitioners - treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms of a disease. You can be sure that a chiropractor will treat you differently than a normal medical doctor. He will listen to your questions, answer and counsel you, within the limits of his line of work. Chiropractors consider that a patient's health is influenced by many factors including heredity, diet and lifestyle and so on so they will concentrate to heal the disease and enhance the wellness of a patient. The term wellness in chiropractic doesn't refer to a spa or a hot tub, but to a general state of health, free from disease: stress, headaches, carpal tunnel, sciatica, fibromylagia, fatigue, knee pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, allergies to enumerate just a few.

Autonomic Nervous System Assessment - A Key to Chiropractic Care

Although chiropractors have existed for more than 100 years in their specific health care field, there are different opinions regarding to where this professional field belong to - whether traditional or alternative fields of health care. Are chiropractors just providers of spinal care or are they providers of treatments for a variety of non-spinal conditions? What kind of scientific assessment methods may help them to position themselves as providing care of a broader scope in accordance with postulates made by the founder of modern chiropractic school Dr. D. Palmer?

Main dilemma of chiropractic care.

It is widely known that most chiropractors deal with patients who have back or neck pain. Approximately, one out of five people experience such symptoms at some point in their life. In this situation, the main objective of a chiropractor is to help the patient to get rid of the pain. However, according to multiple publications, the objective of the chiropractor extends to not only to relieve the patient of back or neck pain, but to also to improve the overall health of the individual. This is based on the assumption that various structural and mechanical changes in the spinal cord often negatively influence the autonomic nervous system of a human being. Being under such influence the autonomic nervous system is not able to provide adequate innervations of various internal organs of the human body, which will lead to the individual being more susceptible to various illnesses. It, therefore, becomes very crucial to fix these structural and mechanical changes as soon as possible, in order to prevent further damage to the overall health of the person, as well as provide possible treatment of his/her current illnesses.

Such approach to chiropractic care comes from the philosophy of Dr. D. Palmer, who was the founder of modern Chiropractic Medicine. At the end of the 19th century, he suggested that "a subluxated vertebra... is the cause of 95 percent of all diseases. The other five percent is caused by displaced joints other than those of the vertebral column."

However Dr. Palmer's opponents state that he made this conclusion based on a single clinical case, trying to explain why patient's deafness was cured by spinal manipulation. The opponents state that there is not enough scientific evidence to originate a conclusive statement that treatment of back or neck pain is related to the cure of other health issues.

Thus one of the big issues which chiropractors have to resolve is positioning of their specific profession. Whether they primarily treat spinal or neck problems causing pain or they treat much wider range of health disorders. One possible reason for the latter argument is that chiropractors do not widely use special instrumentation that could objectively test their patients' to find out if their treatment causes positive effects.

What method can help chiropractors to assess effects of their treatment?

One of the possible ways to solve this problem is to assess the body's Autonomic Nervous System activity. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is a mechanism which controls all of the body's processes. Depending on the performance of the ANS, the body either functions normally, or experiences some abnormalities. At their early stages, many sicknesses can be linked to a disruption in performance of the ANS.

As of today, some chiropractors are trying to test the effectiveness of their treatment procedures by evaluating their effects on the sympathetic nervous system. For example, they try to measure the decrease in blood pressure, increase in skin temperature, as well as increase in blood flow. However, there is a much more effective method to determine the status of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity based on analysis of a person's heart rate variability (HRV).

It is well-known that a decrease in heart rate variability is a leading sign of a disruption of the ANS function. There were several clinical studies showing that proper chiropractic treatment procedures led to the increase in HRV. E.g. Dr. Zhang et al. from Logan College of Chiropractics showed that both single and long-term chiropractic adjustment care eliminated bodily pain and also resulted in increased patient's heart rate variability. Therefore HRV assessment is the most appropriate method of testing patient's autonomic function during chiropractic treatment procedures.

Autonomic nervous system assessment tools available.

One of the most appropriate and affordable tools available for this purpose is the Heart Rhythm Scanner developed by Biocom Technologies. It gives an assessment of the autonomic nervous system function within just 5 minutes. Upon completion of the testing procedure it generates a detailed report, which includes interpretations of the state of balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, along with the level of their function.

Here are some useful tips on how to use the Heart Rhythm Scanner in chiropractic care during the treatment of patients with various back and neck problems:

1. Assess the autonomic balance before and after the treatment procedure.


2. If the results of post-treatment testing show improvement of the autonomic balance, the treatment not only cured the patient of neck/back pain but also had a positive effect on the autonomic function so other body organs benefited from it.


3. If the results of post-treatment testing show worsening of the autonomic balance, the treatment procedure caused a negative impact on the autonomic function and it is extremely important to review the treatment option in greater details to find out what may have caused a negative effect on the autonomic function.


4. If the results of both pre- and post-treatment testing showed an abnormal autonomic balance, it is likely that patient has problems with autonomous regulation. The patient would then have to undergo more in-depth examination, in order to figure out the reason(s) behind these problems. In such a case, multiple testing of the autonomic function during the course of treatment may allow for assessing its effectiveness.


5. If the results of both pre- and post-treatment testing showed a normal autonomic balance and did not change much, this means that the autonomic function is fine and the focus should be shifted towards just fixing the main complaints which brought the patient to the doctor.

Chiropractic Community Marketing

Community marketing is one component of a chiropractic marketing approach that is often not implemented even though this approach can be highly effective in terms of building awareness of a practice, establishing a positive image of a practice in the community, and attracting more patients to the practice. 

Following are specific tips and ideas for how to effectively market in the community: 

1.    Volunteer for a Non Profit Organization- There is no better way to create a positive image in a community that to actively participate in the efforts of a non profit organization. By being involved in a non-commercial venture, a chiropractor demonstrates that he cares about the well being of a community and for those in it.

2.    Speak to Community Groups- As the population in the United States grows older, health will be an increasingly important concern. One excellent way to promote a practice is to give free speeches to community organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce, religious organizations, and fraternal organizations like the Elks Club. Another opportunity that should not be overlooked is providing inhabitants of senior living quarters with information about chiropractic care.

3.    Write Articles in Community Publications- Many small towns and neighborhood areas publish a newspaper for their area. Many of these newspapers have an ongoing need for content since they usually can't afford a staff of full-time writers. A chiropractor should contact all of these publications in their area and propose writing a weekly column about health care as it relates to chiropractic areas. At the end of each article should be a bio about the chiropractor with contact information.

4.    Hold A Community Open House- Announce an open house centered around health care and invite members of the community to your practice to educate them about chiropractic care.

5.    Network with Other Medical Professionals- One excellent source of new patients is other doctors such as General Practitioners. A chiropractor should make a concerted effort to seek out and meet with different doctors in the local community. The stated purpose of these meetings is to exchange information about the health services each professional provides so that each can refer their patients to the other where appropriate.

6.    Exhibit at Local Events- Often there are local events such as flea markets and fairs within a community where space is offered to merchants and others in the community to promote what they have to offer. A chiropractor should research events where exhibition opportunities exist and plan a yearly calendar of events for exhibiting the practice. 

Community marketing is definitely one low cost aspect of marketing which should be included in the marketing plan for any chiropractic practice. By using various community marketing approaches, a chiropractor can easily increase awareness of his practice in the community and attract more patients to his practice. Overlooking this method of marketing would be a big mistake since community marketing has proven to be a highly effective means of marketing by many chiropractic practices throughout the country.

Spinal Manipulative Therapy Is Vital To Chiropractic Care

Americans have seen and believed in the effectiveness of chiropractic treatments. There is a growing number of Americans seeking chiropractic care for certain ailments and health conditions and they always leave the chiropractic clinic satisfied and happy. Chiropractic treatment centers on holistic and natural treatment. Chiropractors believe that the body can heal itself and all they need to do is help the body to do it. Spinal therapy is one of the ways chiropractors treat their patients.

Chiropractors treat patients with problems in the central nervous system and musculoskeletal system. This is because any disease or condition in these systems is associated with a misalignment in the spine. About 80% of chiropractic patients receive spinal manipulative therapy to cure them. This therapy, otherwise known as spinal manipulation is a hands-on treatment. It is a form of manual therapy where in an adjustment in the spine is done. Spinal is the term widely used and easier understood by people.

What exactly is spinal manipulative therapy? This form of therapy uses a force applied on the spinal joints. This force is controlled and quick. The pressure of the force will depend on the chiropractic technique used. Force is applied on the spinal joint to bring it back to its alignment. There will be a "pop" sound hear if the spinal manipulation was a success. This pop is due to the dissolved gas when joint fluids are released. Although a pop sound can be heard often, this is not a requirement to ensure the effectiveness of spinal adjustment.

Chiropractors are the best professionals to perform spinal manipulative therapy. Physical therapists and osteopathic physicians can also perform such technique. Nonetheless, seeking a chiropractor's services will get you what you need. The ultimate goal of the chiropractor is to reduce the pain you are feeling and at the same time, restore function and mobility from the mechanical disorders your body suffers from. Chiropractors are highly trained and specializing in manual therapy. They can evaluate your body's condition just by touching key areas alone.

When do you need spinal manipulation? There is a long list of conditions wherein spinal can be treated. Aligning the spine is a way of treating all the other diseases that affect the central nervous system and musculoskeletal system. This includes unlocking spinal joints, rehabilitating ligament injuries, stimulating the nervous system, treating headaches, relief from pain caused by repetitive stress injuries, muscle spasms, pinched nerves and many more.

Spinal manipulative therapy is vital to chiropractic care as this is the most common and effective chiropractic technique used by all chiropractors today. It is safe and very effective in treating various health conditions in the body. Doctors of chiropractors are trained and experts in doing spinal manipulations so you can trust that you are in good hands. Manual therapy is all-natural and your body will be able to heal on its own. Nevertheless, a chiropractor will be the one to determine if you are a good candidate for chiropractic treatment or not.

Chiropractic Adjustments a Temporary Fix?

The chiropractic profession is filled with a diverse group of doctors all in search of the answer to long term health through removal of subluxation. The philosophy that is taught in chiropractic colleges across the country is sound in theory, but lacks the clinical protocol to back it up. Subluxation a so-called bone out of place theory is out dated and unrealistic. Individual bones or segments of the spine do not mis-align unless the ligaments are torn, a rare condition caused by significant trauma or genetic connective tissue disease. The majority of spinal subluxation, a word that should be redefined or gotten rid of, implies that there exists a bone out of place when in fact every radiology report that I have ever received from a radiologist states "no subluxation is present". But yet you go to the chiropractor and he or she says;"yep there it is it's your C5, T7, and L4 they are out of place and need to be adjusted back into place" Then you receive the adjustment "Crack,Click,Drop" there you go all set, back in place. Right? Wrong.

I have been in practice for over 10 years now and about 60% of the patients I have examined have had chiropractic adjustments before. How many of these patients had normal posture and healthy alignment on x-ray? None. Why? Because chiropractic adjustments do not correct bad alignment. If we look at the research regarding spinal biomechanics we understand that the spine and lower extremities are linked together and that your body misaligns globally, also why a radiologist won't pick it up. In addition there has to be an origin or primary event which starts this chain reaction. The spine and extremities compensate after the primary event occurs, creating a global postural distortion. So when you show up in the chiropractors office, he or she will use segmental analysis to find the hot spots(subluxations) and adjust those segments, temporarily changing the natural compensatory mechanism that was created by the initiating event. In english this means you get a temporary shift in your pattern, which often, about 80% of the time, creates a good feeling or a sense of wellness. Once in a great while the initiating event is so fresh, that the one adjustment actually corrects the global alignment, very rare though less than 1% of the time.

So what is an adjustment doing? A spinal adjustment or sudden applied force to a spinal segment causes joint movement slightly beyond the physiological barrier of passive motion. Huh! It unlocks restricted joints in your spine or extremities. Because it releases the restricted joint, it has a temporary relaxing effect on the muscle that moves that specific joint. This causes a temporary increase in range of motion, decreases pain through the thalamic(section of the brain) system, and decreases muscular tension. Oh by the way, these are all good things! The problem isn't with the adjustment, the problem is that your postural mechanism will cause you to return to your pre-adjustment position within hours of the treatment. So in reality you feel better for a while, but your initiating event wasn't corrected so the poor alignment returns and so does the tension, stiffness, and pain. The nervous system also remains unhealthy do to the postural distortion that is left uncorrected. Your body shortly after the adjustment coils itself back into it's unhealthy position.

So what about exercise or stretching alone or in combination with the adjustment? Close but no cigar. Active exercise is great for a body that has good alignment and proper mechanics, but not so good for someone with bad alignment/posture and poor body mechanics. Active exercises like core strengthening and isometrics do not affect the slow twitch muscles that control posture. Stretching feels great but is temporary. Also if you stretch a muscle that is programmed to be shortened by the brain to help stabilize the spine it can cause further problems. You can now see that simplifying a very complex system to include adjustments and exercises just won't cut it. This probably explains why we still have 80% of the population suffering with back and neck pain but yet chiropractic has been around for over 100 years and who knows how long exercise has been prescribed for back problems.

The majority of people with chronic problems have poor postural alignment. This poor alignment stresses certain joints which eventually cause pain and even arthritis if not corrected. Poor alignment causes certain muscles to be overworked which leads to myalgia (muscle pain) due to a lack of blood flow through the overly tense muscle. This decrease in blood flow causes excess metabolic waste accumulation in the muscles and eventually can cause permanent fibrosis commonly referred to as fibromyalgia. These babies get rock hard and sensitive! The other often overlooked component of poor alignment are ligaments. Ligaments connect the bones to create stability and are non-contractile tissues, meaning they can not be exercised back to health. Ligaments are also the primary reason you can not change alignment through exercise and chiropractic adjustments. This must explain why 95% of chiropractors do not take post x-rays, they know the spinal alignment on x-ray will not have corrected.

It is published in many prestigious spine journals, anatomy text books, and other related spinal health literature that your spine and posture have measurable healthy normals. The best and most reliable way to check the health of a persons spinal structure is with x-rays and posture analysis (Dr. Ventura's Posture Analysis software is very accurate). Now if I can measure your poor alignment with an x-ray and posture analysis, would it not make sense to take another x-ray and do posture analysis after the treatment to see if I did my job?

The good news is that through many research studies and new technology we have found a good, consistent way to correct poor alignment. Spinal adjustments combined with re-active muscle training and sustained ligament traction are very effective for long term correction. In addition, traction force chiropractic adjustments are far more effective at breaking up adhesions in chronically restricted joints than the traditional compressive adjustments taught in chiropractic college, including instrument and drop table adjusting. Re-active muscle training makes sense because your posture is merely an adaptation to the environment that you put it in. for example if you slump at your desk and stare at a computer all day, your body will literally mold into your slumped forward position. If you always use your right hand to carry stuff, the natural compensation for this will be overuse of the left side spinal muscle to help stabilize the added weight to the right side of your body. Reactive muscle training uses the principals of compensation. If you have a right dominant posture (you lean right while standing straight) measured with posture analysis, I would add weight to your right side to cause an automatic brain controlled activation of the opposite side muscles causing your body innately to move its posture to the left. Bingo, we are starting to get somewhere. In addition to adding weight, I would have you stand on a vibration platform set at a specific frequency and amplitude so the postural muscle activity would be increased by about 30 times resting levels. This speeds the learning process up so you don't need 5 years to get it done. The shortened ligaments only, need to be elongated. This is done trough pressure(stretch) over time. A ligament typically will respond after about 15 minutes of pressure. This uncoiling process is termed "ligament creep". Unfortunately doctors will need specialized equipment in order to get to the correct shortened ligaments especially those ligaments affecting rotational misalignment measured with AP or frontal x-rays.

There are many schools of thought when it comes to the chiropractic profession. I have heard and seen a lot of chiropractic techniques in my 11 years as a practicing chiropractor. Most of these ideas focus on adjustments, and some on soft tissue rehabilitation through exercise, stretching, cold laser, muscle stimulation, active release and countless other modalities. The one consistent undeniable truth still remains: Spinal alignment is controlled through a complex system involving slow twitch postural muscles and ligaments. Without the proper training and equipment, these two areas will remain neglected and therefore the world of chronic back problems will go on.