Although whole foods are the best way to get your nutritional support  needed for musculoskeletal healing, supplements can help fill the gaps. Here, we look at 7 Natural Supplements and Herbs for an Acute Musculoskeletal Injury that can help you recover from the inflammatory phase of a musculoskeletal injury (i.e. strain, tendonitis). 

The inflammatory response to trauma occurs during the first few days after your injury which includes edema (swelling).  Firstly, your body will release inflammatory proteins and mobilize leukocytes (white blood cells). Secondly, produce fibrin an insoluble protein involved in the clotting of blood.  Thirdly, the accumulation of cell debris, fibrin, blood, and exudate (circulatory fluid) will impede healing by impairing circulation. After chiropractic care has begun, some of the substances below may also help expedite healing.

1. Boswellia– A herb also known as indian frankincense, decreases inflammation. Useful for arthritis, gout, low back pain, myositis (muscle inflammation) and fibromyalgia.

 

2. Ginger- A well known herb in the kitchen, also good for inflammation.  Reduces spasms, cramps and stimulates circulation.  Useful for arthritis, headaches, and muscle pain. 

 

3. Tumeric– This herb is used as a seasoning and an ingredient in curry powder. This is good for inflammation and all arthritic conditions. 

 

4. Cayennne– A herb known as Capsicum, hot pepper or red pepper. Useful for arthritis and rheumatism. 

 

5. Bromelain– This is an enzyme. Its source is pineapple, pork, beef or papaya. Moreover, patients hospitalized for various injuries resulted in 40% less time spent in the hospital than those who didn’t take Bromelain.

Other proteolytic enzymes helpful for musculoskeletal injuries for example in tendonitis include trypsin and chymotrypsin. They reduce the inflammatory response by breaking down inflammatory proteins which cause vascular permeability (capacity of a blood vessel wall to allow for the flow of small molecules or even whole cells in and out of the vessel) and pain. Proteolytic enzymes may significantly improve local circulation by breaking down cell debris and fibrin prior to uptake by the lymphatic system. 

 

 6. Bioflavonoids (quercetin, hesperidine, rutin, etc.) provide much of the flavor and color in fruits & vegetables, as well as berries and flowers. It works by restricting vascular permeability to limit swelling. Preventative treatment of football athletes with bioflavonoids reduced healing time of injuries by two thirds in a study.

 

 7. Vitamin C helps with free radical processes in your inflamed tissues. Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells, causing illness and aging. Furthermore, it may support the production of anti-inflammatory hormones in your body.

 

Finally, You should be mindful of the recommended doses of specific supplements and herbs, as too much can be harmful.  In addition, it may be contraindicated for your condition.  Also consult your doctor first, especially if you are pregnant.

 

Contact an amazing chiropractor in West Palm Beach today to learn more about 7 Natural Supplements and Herbs for an Acute Musculoskeletal Injury at 561-253-8984.  Dr. Natalie Meiri is dedicated to your overall health and well-being.  She offers chiropractic care for various injuries and ailments to restore you to optimal health.

 

Meiri Chiropractic

561-253-8984

From Dr. Natalie Meiri’s Clinical Pearl Stories:

 

 

 Relief From Shingles Pain and Post-Herpetic Neuralgia: Chiropractic Care is Effective

This is my clinical pearl story about Relief From Shingles Pain and Post-Herpetic Neuralgia: Chiropractic Care is Effective. I helped this patient with more than her low back degenerative problem since it was complicated by shingles.  She was a 50 year old female patient. To be HIPAA compliant, I will call her Ester instead of her real name. 

Ester’s back pain had come on insidiously (came on gradually) without any history of trauma.  She did report having several bouts of back pain that self resolved over the years. Recently, she was under a lot of stress from worrying about her family and was exhausted from working over 60 hours a week. Then a few days ago, she bent to grab something and her back pain started. Ester had severe pain in her lower back combined with leg pain.  She also felt her right leg was weak.

Ester’s Examination and Imaging

Upon examination I did find weakness in her leg with muscle testing. And numbness on the side of the lower leg with sensory testing. She also tested positive for other orthopedic/ neurological tests for her condition.  I explained to Ester that she had a radiculopathy (inflamed nerve root).

Her x-rays taken in my office showed some moderate degenerative arthritis in her lumbar spine. To diagnose that her radiculopathy was due to a disc problem (“slipped disc”), she would need a M.R.I. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).  I would order a M.R.I. of her low back in a month or after 12 visits, if her pain wasn’t significantly decreased with treatment.  I also referred Ester to her dermatologist due to a rash that appeared in her low back within her first week of  treating with me.

Her dermatologist diagnosed the rash as a Shingles rash.  Within a month I did order a M.R.I. due to the severe pain, even though she was gaining strength back in her legs.  The M.R.I. showed a herniated disc in her low back. Ester’s diagnosis was now lumbar (lowback) disc syndrome (lumbar degenerative disc disease). She continued treatment with me and recovered from her lumbar disc syndrome. 

Ester’s Treatment and Outcome

Ester received chiropractic adjustments/ manipulation to her cervical (neck), thoracic (mid back) and lumbar (low back) spine along with soft tissue work (myofascial release, pressure point and various post isometric relaxation procedures) and exercises to continue at home.

Ester did take a prescription drug for her shingles rash which in time also healed.

Unfortunately, Ester went on to develop post-herpatic neuralgia, a complication of shingles.  She chose the drug-less and nonsurgical approach of chiropractic care and continued care with much improvement over time.  She continued chiropractic care on a as needed basis after a few months.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is a viral infection that is not life threatening. Typically, pain, itching, or tingling in the area will develop. This may happen several days before the rash appears. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it often appears as a single stripe of blisters that goes around either the left or the right side of your torso. The blisters usually scab over in 7 to 10 days and fully clears up within 2 to 4 weeks.

Shingles is caused by the same virus which causes chicken pox called the varicella-zoster virus. After you’ve had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.  Shingles is triggered by a weakened or compromised immune system. Emotional stress is considered a trigger for shingles because it has been shown to weaken the body’s immune system. This can happen in those who face chronic work or life stress.

What is Post-herpetic Neuralgia?

Post herpetic neuralgia is the most common complication of shingles. The condition affects nerve fibers and skin, causing burning pain that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear.

The risk of post-herpetic neuralgia increases with age, primarily affecting people older than 60. There’s no cure, but chiropractic can ease symptoms.

Shingles triggers a painful rash on your skin that follows nerve pathways, causing a massive amount of inflammation and agitated nerves. A trip to the pain management clinic for the pain is understandable, but it’s not the solution. All they can do is pump you full of drugs and wait out the virus.

A chiropractor however, can manipulate your spine, putting everything back in place. Realigning your spine alleviates pressure off your nerves and helps your body to fight inflammation. This speeds up recovery time and allows your immune system to function optimally.

Chiropractic provides fast and natural relief

Furthermore, getting regular chiropractic care can help prevent the onset of shingles. Chiropractic care can help reduce your  stress level, which may be the biggest factor in causing shingles.  Stress leads to misalignments of the spine, which causes nervous system dysfunction.

The anatomical and physiological connections between the immune system and the nervous system suggests that the nervous system plays a role in the modulation of the immune response. Recent scientific developments now lend support to the idea that Chiropractic correction of the misalignment (chiropractic subluxation) can aid the immune responses of the body by reducing nerve interference.

Are you looking for a chiropractor in West Palm Beach? Dr. Natalie Meiri can definitely help you.  Find out more about Relief From Shingles Pain and Post-Herpetic Neuralgia: Chiropractic Care is Effective. Call 561-253-8984 today.

 

 

Meiri Chiropractic

561-253-8984

The fact is Chiropractors receive training to adjust all people, from babies to the elderly. Many children have benefited from chiropractic care, including babies. And many parents have proclaimed success in treating colic or in getting their babies to sleep better after getting them chiropractic care.

So medical care is great for saving our lives, but doesn’t do a lot for everyday quality-of-life issues that plague us. Similarly, there’s a lot more anxiety and stress in kids’ lives today. Chiropractic adjustments are great and powerful. Moreover, along with adequate nutrition, sleep and physical activity, adjustments can be life changing for children. For parents who are looking for answers besides putting their kids on more drugs, Chiropractic is a great solution. Read below about What Is Pediatric Chiropractic and How Can It Benefit My Kids?

Sports Injuries

Even bumps and bruises can be the symptoms of trauma that can cause other serious health problems. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that children experience up to 1,500 spinal-related injuries before the age of five. However, if a child regularly sees a chiropractor, the adverse effects of these traumas may be minimized or corrected. So chiropractic is for children who play sports or engage in other activities where injuries occur. In conclusion, chiropractic can be used as a tool for both prevention and recovery.

Chronic Ear Infections

One of the most common reasons to visit the chiropractor for children is a chronic ear infection (otitis media). There is currently no evidence to support or refute using chiropractic manipulative therapy for Otitis media and no evidence to suggest that adjustments produce serious adverse effects for children with OM.

How might chiropractic care improve chronic ear infections? Fluid trapped in the middle ear cavity creates a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Medically, you’d use an antibiotic to kill the bacteria, but that doesn’t do anything about the fluid buildup.  If the muscles surrounding the Eustachian tubes are spasming, that can close down the tube’s opening and not allow the fluid to drain. The chiropractor’s goal is to stop those muscles from spasming.  Of course, you may want to consult with your child’s pediatrician before making the decision to begin adjustments, especially if the child is below 5 years of age. 

 

Quality of Life

Chiropractic care can be an effective preventative technique to help limit the chance of spinal issues in adulthood. It is  known to decrease stress and anxiety.  Similarly, to increase energy. Furthermore, it may even prevent ADHD and similar neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Chiropractic has the potential to have an effect on childhood developmental disorders and syndromes.  For instance, like cerebral palsy, ADHD, autism, post-stroke, Down syndrome and so on. While chiropractic can not legitimately claim to “cure” a child with such conditions, chiropractic may make some changes that allow them to lead a more comfortable life. Chiropractic can improve their quality of life.  This is done by  allowing their nervous system to work the best it can through adjustments. In conclusion, their body can reach its fullest potential. 

 

Safety of Chiropractic for Kids

The American Chiropractic Association cites a study done in 2014 confirming that chiropractic adjustments are overwhelmingly safe in infants and children.

In 2009, a survey found that there were about 68 million pediatric visits to chiropractors. The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ most recent practice analysis, issued in 2010, found that about 17 percent of chiropractic patients were under age 18 — approximately 7.7 percent aged five years or younger and some 9.4 percent between ages six and 17.

There’s another strong indicator of the safety of chiropractic for all ages: insurance rates. Chiropractors have the lowest malpractice rates of all primary health care providers in the country, and those rates are based on risk. Actuaries aren’t going to give chiropractors lower rates without good reason.

Children have the same joints that adults do, but not fully formed yet.  They are still developing and adjustments get the spine back in alignment to keep the body balanced and to prevent further problems. Also, Kids joints are still more cartilaginous than truly bony, so the adjustments have to be a little bit faster but with less force. This is due to the increased flexibility within the joint and the smaller surface area targeted. 

Dr. Natalie Meiri delivers fast adjustments that are low intensity (low force) and low amplitude (low displacement).  She also has helped babies and kids utilizing soft tissue techniques, cranial sacral therapy, and homeopathy. She has treated babies with ear infections, kids with ADHD, autism, scoliosis, sports injuries and various growing problems.  Contact her at 561-253-8984 for further information on What Is Pediatric Chiropractic and How Can It Benefit My Kids? or to make an appointment.

 

Dr. Natalie Meiri – Meiri Chiropractic- 5601 Corporate Way, Ste 102, West Palm Beach, FL 33407

561-253-8984

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10 frequently asked questions about chiropractic can help educate you on the truth about chiropractic.  Chiropractic can treat acute or chronic back/extremity pain, chronic fatigue, stress, digestive issues, and a variety of other health problems. You need to make an informed decision about the care you need. Read below about the benefits and realities about chiropractic.

1. What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. These disorders include, but are not limited to: back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.

Firstly, Chiropractic is a health care discipline that stresses the importance of the structural integrity of the body. Secondly, Chiropractic recognizes the relationship of the human body as a whole. Thirdly, Chiropractic pays particular attention to the neurological and musculoskeletal systems. Finally, the Chiropractor understands that when the structural integrity of the body is compromised the body’s ability to function optimally is diminished.

Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) practice a conservative approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. DCs have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, lifestyle and dietary counseling. Chiropractic is a method of treatment that is conservative and does not prescribe medications or perform surgery. In Florida, a chiropractic physician is considered a primary health care provider, and as such a direct portal of entry to our health care system.

2. How long will I treat?

Even one visit to a chiropractor can offer tremendous benefits. You do not have to keep visiting a chiropractor for life to maintain the benefits. However, many people do find that long-term treatment helps them to feel and function at their best. Moreover, if they are fighting chronic pain or another chronic health condition, corrective care maybe necessary. Each patient is different. Some patients may require multiple treatments to resolve or stabilize their condition. Others may not. In conclusion, the doctor will recommend a treatment plan. The plan will outline the type and frequency of treatment recommended. 

 

3. What is the “popping or cracking” sound sometimes produced with an adjustment?

That sound commonly referred to as an “audible or cavitation” is NOT your bones rubbing against other bones like many people believe. That sound is created by gas pressure released when the joints are separated. Not all chiropractic adjustments produce a sound. In fact, some adjustments produce no sound at all. Advances in chiropractic care have developed a noise-free gentler treatment option offered at Meiri Chiropractic (low intensity, low amplitude adjustment).

 

 

 4. Do adjustments hurt?

Although adjustments are sometimes uncomfortable, they are not typically painful. You may feel a little bit sore after, as though you had a tough workout. Most patients look forward to their adjustments. The truth is, after an adjustment, immediate pain relief is quite common.   First-time patients are typically shocked by the healing and wellness that follows a chiropractic adjustment.

 

5. Is Chiropractic care expensive?

Many insurance policies cover chiropractic care. Of course, just like any medical treatment, the actual expense varies from person to person. The good news is, chiropractic care can be very affordable with insurance. The best thing you can do is check with your potential chiropractors to learn your options regarding your insurance policy.

The other factor to consider is the long-term savings you could enjoy because of chiropractic care. Many studies have concluded that patients using chiropractic and other holistic treatments experienced:

• fewer hospital admissions
• fewer days in a hospital stay
• decrease in outpatient procedures, including surgeries
• reduction in pharmacy and drug costs

Although you may not see the healthcare savings immediately in your budget. Certainly, you are likely to see them later on as you enjoy a healthier, better quality of life with fewer medical costs.

 

6. Will I need x-rays and what kinds of treatments will I receive?

The answer regarding x-rays is, you may. Not all patients require x-rays.  If it is necessary in your particular case, we have the ability to take x-rays at Meiri Chiropractic.

Dr. Natalie Meiri believes in tailoring treatment plans to fit the specific needs of each of her patients. She employs a mixture of manual adjusting, soft tissue techniques (myofascial release, pressure point, post isometric relaxation), physiotherapies, and rehabilitative stretches and exercises. In addition, Homeopathic consultations are also offered for overall wellness. Her goal is  to get fast and effective results.  Above all, Dr. Natalie Meiri aims to help her patients achieve their full health potential.

 

7. Are Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?

Chiropractic adjustments are safe. You should definitely seek a highly trained and experienced chiropractor. The low-intensity adjustments delivered at Meiri Chiropractic are perfect for nervous patients who can tense up during their adjustments. Dr. Natalie Meiri’s adjustments are gentle, precise, and quick.

 

 

8. Are Chiropractors “real doctors”?

Doctors of Chiropractic are educated in nationally accredited, four-year doctoral graduate school programs through a curriculum that includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical internship, with the average DC program equivalent in classroom hours to allopathic (Doctor of Medicine, MD) and osteopathic (Doctor of Osteopathy, DO) medical schools.

Chiropractors are required to pass a series of four national board exams and be state licensed to practice. There are more than 70,000 chiropractors in the United States, with some in management or teaching positions.

 

9. How do I know if I will benefit from chiropractic?

Many people including babies to elderly benefit from chiropractic. The results vary from person to person, depending on individual health and physiology. The results depend on a variety of factors such as what other medical care you receive, lifestyle changes you make, and so on.

The first step is to come into our office and meet with Dr. Natalie Meiri. She will perform a consultation, physical examination and possibly recommend x-rays or lab work. It is at that time that she may advise you as to whether or not you are a candidate for Chiropractic care.

 

10. How do I get started with chiropractic care?

Contact our West Palm Beach office for further information on the 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic. We will be glad to schedule an appointment for you as well. You may phone us at 561-253-8984.

 

      Meiri Chiropractic