The fact is Chiropractors receive training to treat all people, from babies to the elderly.  And many children have benefited from chiropractic care, including babies. Moreover, Chiropractic care is among the most common complementary and integrative health care practices used by children in the United States (US National Center for Health Statistics Report, 2015) and internationally.

So children with musculoskeletal conditions often seek chiropractic treatment.  However, in the case of infants, infantile colic is one of the more common chief complaints at the chiropractic office. Furthermore, many parents have proclaimed success with colic or in getting their babies to sleep better after getting them chiropractic care.

In a 2011 study on chiropractic care for infants with colic, the authors summarized 26 articles (clinical trials, studies, case reports, literature reviews/commentaries).  In conclusion, the study stated chiropractic offers a safe and effective alternative treatment approach for the child with infantile colic.

What is Infantile Colic?

 

Firstly, within the first few weeks after birth infantile colic is a common condition.

 

Secondly, your infant may cry for 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days a week, and for a minimum of 3 weeks. The recurrent episodes of prolonged and uncontrollable crying and irritability seem to be of unknown cause. And your infant is otherwise healthy.

 

Thirdly, one theory is the cause is probably gastrointestinal. The colic seems to occur after feeding and with an increased amount of flatulence.

 

Fourthly, another theory is that infantile colic is due to an immature nervous system that overreacts to normal negative or positive changes in the environment.  For instance, stimuli such as hunger, gas, fatigue, music, voices and even handling could cause an overreaction.  Next, this overreaction would lead to infantile colic.

 

Treatment of Infantile Colic

 

The medical management of colic is primarily with conventional drugs. However, drugs can have harmful side effects. And it appears drugs are not as effective for infantile colic.  

 

Numerous studies from Denmark indicated that chiropractic manipulation is effective at improving or resolving infantile colic. The most recent study compared manipulation to conventional drugs as a treatment strategy. Generally, improvement in the manipulation group was a 2 1/2-hour reduction in crying time compared with a 1-hour reduction in the drug group at 1 week.

 

A study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (3) crying behavior in the infants receiving chiropractic care reduced approximately 50% (1.5 hours less per day) over the 10 day period compared to the infant group not receiving chiropractic care. After 10 days, the excessively crying infants receiving chiropractic care were almost 12 times less likely to cry compared to the infants not receiving care.

 

Chiropractic Care for Infantile Colic

 

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 infantile colic, ear infections, kids with ADHD, autism, scoliosis, sports injuries and various growing problems.  Contact her at 561-253-8984 for further information on Chiropractic Care for Infantile Colic or to make an appointment.

 

 

 

References:

 

1. Alcantara et al. (2011) Explore
2. Klougart N, Nilsson N,lacobsenJ. Infantile colic treated by chiropractors: a prospective study of 316 cases.] Manipulative Physiol The1~ 1989;12:281-288. Nilsson N. Infantile colic and chiropractic. Eur J Chiro.1985;33 : 264-265.
3. Miller et al. (2012) Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

 

This post is about Spinal Canal Stenosis and Claudication: A West Palm Beach Chiropractor Can Provide Relief. Symptoms include neck/back and arm/leg pain. Your pain can be unilateral (one sided) or bilateral (both sided).  Moreover, you may complain of the onset of leg complaints with walking and relief after resting 15 to 20 minutes or by maintaining a flexed (bent forward) posture. If you have Spinal Canal Stenosis and Claudication, Chiropractic can provide relief! We’ve got some great information to share below.

What is Spinal Canal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of spaces in the spine (neck and back bone), which causes pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves. This pressure can be caused by bony or soft tissue encroachment (intrusion).

Furthermore, stenosis may be central, lateral (mid line or to the side) or at multiple levels in your spine. In other words, the signs and symptoms vary widely depending on where the pressure occurs. For example, for leg complaints to occur, it is usually true that there are multiple levels of stenosis.

 

Congenital (present from birth) Causes

The vertebrae are a series of small bones forming the spine. Your vertebrae have several projections for articulation and muscle attachment, and a hole (spinal canal) through which the spinal cord passes.

Congenitally a trefoil shape (cloverleaf  appearance) spinal canal leads to central canal and lateral stenosis.

Congenital pedicogenic stenosis is due to anatomically short pedicles  (bony processes lying on either side of a vertebral body).

 

Acquired (developed or originating after birth) Stenosis

Acquired stenosis is due to bony outgrowths from osteoarthritis (degenerative wear and tear arthritis).  Specifically, it occurs at the pedicles, the facets (small joints located between and behind adjacent vertebrae), and/or the laminae (flattened or arched part of the vertebral arch, forming the roof of the spinal canal).

Degenerative spondylolisthesis is also a cause of acquired spinal canal stenosis. Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra (bone) in the spine moves forward out of the proper position onto the bone below it.

Lastly, a hypertrophied and/or calcified ligamentum flavum may cause acquired spinal canal stenosis.  The ligamentum flavum is a thick ligament which goes from vertebra to vertebra in the back most part of the spinal canal. It can lose strength and elasticity, causing it to thicken and buckle towards the spinal column. Next this leads to deposition of Ca⁺²  (calcium) in the ligament. Calcification of the ligament causes hypertrophy (enlargement of an organ/tissue from the increase in size of its cells). And the hypertrophy causes  spinal stenosis.

 

What is Claudication?

Claudication is pain in the legs or arms that occurs while using the arms or legs due to little blood flow to those areas. For instance cramping leg pain that occurs with walking and is relieved with rest is likely a form of claudication in the lumbar (lower back) spine. There is a distinction between vascular and neurogenic claudication.

Neurogenic claudication is secondary (due) to spinal stenosis.  In other words, neurogenic claudication is usually caused by spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine (lower back). Compression of nerves and/or the blood supply to nerves causes leg symptoms that are related to exertion. You will often have associated low back pain or radiation into the legs. Imaging such as X-ray or M.R.I. (magnetic resonance image) is utilized for diagnosis of spinal canal stenosis along with your examination.

Vascular claudication involves stenosis (narrowing) of peripheral (vessels away from chest/abdomen) blood vessels compromising the blood supply to muscles. Spinal stenosis is not a cause for vascular claudication. Atherosclerotic blockage is most commonly a cause. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholestorolemia. Continuous-wave Doppler test is commonly used in diagnosis.

 

West Palm Beach Chiropractic Treatment for Spinal Canal Stenosis

A detailed examination is necessary to determine the treatment. Subsequently, the type of adjusting techniques to be applied to the various joints must be assessed. In addition to joint manipulation and adjustment to the joints, we use soft tissue procedures, hot and cold modalities, stretching exercises, rehabilitation exercises, and homeopathic consultations.

 

At Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach we spend the time necessary to examine, diagnose and treat every neuromusculoskeletal condition and various ailments you have. Through regular chiropractic visits, you can get pain relief and improve function. Chiropractic is a holistic and natural way to not only treat existing conditions, but to keep your body in its best working condition.  Meiri Chiropractic has been offering effective chiropractic care in Palm Beach county since 2006.  Many of our patient reviews note our excellence.  Call us today at 561-253-8984 in West Palm Beach to make an appointment or to find out more about Spinal Canal Stenosis and Claudication : A West Palm Beach Chiropractor Can Provide Relief.

 

This post is about Dizziness and Vertigo: A West Palm Beach Chiropractic Center Can Help.  You may feel the room is spinning?  You may feel motion imbalance or a lack of coordination while walking? Moreover, you may have lightheadedness or presyncope (sensation of almost fainting)? At a West palm beach chiropractic center, the most frequently seen cases are those associated with motor vehicle cervical(neck) spine/head injuries and in the elderly. Dizziness may be one of the top three symptoms reported after acceleration/ deceleration (whiplash) injury to the neck.

Anatomy and Physiology

Your balance and spatial orientation are maintained by an integrated neuronal (relating to nerve cells) feedback loop. Feedback loops are circuits that return output as input to a given system.

 

The components of the related systems for balance and spatial orientation:

 

(1) The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements.

(2) The visual system constructs a mental representation of the world around us. It includes both the eyes and the brain.

(3) The proprioceptive system is guided by receptors in the body (skin, muscles, joints) that connect with the brain through the nervous system. Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location.

So a slow adaptation by your nervous system can be made to compensate when input from any of the above components (systems) is dysfunctional.

 

Dizziness and Vertigo in Younger Adults and Older Adults (Elders/Seniors)

At a Dizziness and Balance Clinic for patients over age 65, the distribution of cause for dizziness was the following:

-32 %, due to benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo

-22 % was due to either fear of falling or disuse equilibrium (state of physical balance)

-13 % was due to vestibular (chamber of inner ear) loss

All other causes accounted each for 5% or less of cases. Additionally, the elderly population, in particular, is more prone to the vertiginous (causing vertigo) effects of medications and the lack of compensation by another system.  In contrast, a younger person may have this ability to compensate through one of the other systems for balance.

In other words, if one is dysfunctional, the nervous system may accommodate through input and adaptation from the other systems. However, in the elderly, there may be a general deterioration of all neural (relating to nerves) systems. And perhaps complicated by other diseases such as diabetes or atherosclerosis, in elderly, the adaption is made less effective and dizziness more disabling.

 

Cervical (neck) Spine and Dizziness/Vertigo

It is unclear how many cases are due to neck proprioceptors versus the vestibular apparatus or vascular supply to the head and neck. Nevertheless, proprioceptive information from the upper cervical musculature and joints do play a major role in your perception of balance. The high density of receptors in the spine may have effects on these reflexes for balance. Also, if there is damage to the vestibular apparatus, these spinal reflexes may help compensate.

 

Firstly, cervicogenic vertigo is a result of cervical joint dysfunction, muscle strain, or injury from trauma such as a whiplash-like accident. Over-stimulation from joint dysfunction, muscle spasm or damage to the upper cervical proprioceptors can result in an imbalance of proprioceptive information. Secondly, the basic science support for this comes from numerous studies that have shown ataxia (lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements), nystagmus (fast, uncontrollable movements of the eyes), and/or dysequilibrium (sensation of being off-balance) with strained muscles or upper cervical nerve roots. Thirdly, vibration of muscle tendons or the head can create a “postural illusion” leading to nystagmus and motion sickness.

 

Lastly, there is an overlap between cervicogenic (spinal) vertigo and other peripheral (not central nervous system) vestibular vertigos such as Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BBPV) and Meniere’s disease. And for Meniere’s disease, Chiropractors help treat the symptoms of vertigo naturally.

 

 

West Palm Beach Chiropractic Treatment for Dizziness/Vertigo

 

• Chiropractic Manipulative therapy
• Habituation exercises/therapy (exercises which aim to strengthen the vestibular system)
• Epley Canalith repositioning maneuver- (non-invasive treatment for the most common cause of vertigo, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Epley Maneuver is a type of maneuver that helps to clear the debris that is settling in the ear. 
• Diet/lifestyle changes

 

Our other treatments, such as soft tissue techniques, therapeutic exercise, electric muscle stimulation, ice/ heat therapies and homeopathic consultations, may also provide relief for your pain, dizziness and/or vertigo. 

 

In West Palm Beach, Meiri Chiropractic has given hope to patients with dizziness/vertigo and many other ailments.  This has given them a better quality of life with a safer, natural and effective treatment for their symptoms.

If you or a loved one is suffering from dizziness or vertigo, call our chiropractic care center at 561-253-8984 to make an appointment or ask about Dizziness and Vertigo: A West Palm Beach Chiropractic Center Can Help.

 

 

 

There is a common misconception that chiropractors are just spine doctors.  However, from the very beginning, chiropractic adjustments have been delivered to the nonspinal joints as well. The nonspinal joints include the temporamandibular (TMJ), shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot. For example, D.D. Palmer, the founder of the chiropractic profession described his treatment of the feet in 1910. In fact, applying manual procedures to the peripheral (nonspinal) joints is taught in all accredited chiropractic programs.

In this post, we explain about Reflex-triggered functional syndromes and Chiropractic Extremity Adjustments in West Palm Beach.

Extremity Joints and the Lever-Hinge

The extremity joints are lever-hinge complexes.  Firstly, muscles and bones act together to form levers. Secondly, a lever is a rigid rod (usually a length of bone) that turns about a pivot (usually a joint). Thirdly, levers can be used so that a small force can move a much bigger force. This is called mechanical advantage. Lastly, in your body, bones act as lever arms, joints act as pivots, and muscles provide the effort forces to move loads. For instance, to bend your arm, a lever complex is utilized.  The pivot is at the elbow and the forearm acts as the lever arm. Next, the biceps muscle provides the effort (force) and bends the forearm against the weight of the forearm and any weight that the hand might be holding.

 

How does this lever hinge complex affect your body?

 

You may have joint pain, and/or swelling and paresthesia (pins and needles). Moreover, these problems may be the result of trauma (sprains, strains, athletic injuries, or work injuries). Also, they maybe the result of repetitive activities and postures (carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, or foot pronation).  And the mechanical principles that determine what functions the body can perform are the same, regardless of the activity.  These activities could be an athletic, recreational, occupational, or everyday task.

 

Loss of function involving the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the extremities can significantly reduce the quality or the ease of performing many important activities related to personal care, livelihood, and recreation. The joint, its ligamentous structures, and its capsule form the hinge for the bony lever. So this “hinge” moves about when a force from the muscles is provided. Accordingly, proper joint function depends on the integrity of the soft tissues and the alignment of the bony joint surfaces. 

 

When your extremity joints translate forces into motion (bend your arm), this can also amplify forces negatively to the neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) system of the whole body. Therefore, we need the extremity joints to be functioning properly. For the chiropractor, the reason for treating peripheral/extremity joints includes correction of  the biomechanical (the application of mechanical laws to living structures) problems and reflex-triggered functional syndromes.

 

Reflex-triggered functional syndromes

 

Reflex-triggered functional syndromes occur through distortions affecting the kinetic chain.  The Kinetic chain is a combination of several successively arranged joints, constituting a complex unit, as links in a chain.

The distortions such as mechanical deficiencies (short leg) or muscular insufficiencies or deformities (i.e., valgus/ “knock-knee”or varus/ “bow leg” result in reflex-triggered functional syndromes.  In conclusion, these problems present as clinical findings associated with specific areas of the body, but the major dysfunctions are located somewhere else.

For example, you may have acute or recurrent low back pain localized to the sacroiliac joints (joint between the sacrum and the ilium bones of the pelvis). Nevertheless, adjustments to the sacroiliac joints is ineffective. Next, a misaligned metatarsal (long bone in foot) joint is found.  So the metatarsal seems to disturb the normal proprioceptive (sense of self-movement, force, and body position) function, leading to sacroiliac changes.  Another example would be having pain in the thoracic spine (mid back) stemming from dysfunction in the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint.

 

Treatment of Reflex-triggered Functional Syndromes and Extremity joints at Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach

 

As is the case with the spine, a detailed examination is necessary to determine the extremities treatment.  In addition to joint manipulation and adjustment to the peripheral joints, at Meiri Chiropractic, we use soft tissue procedures, hot and cold modalities, stretching exercises, rehabilitation exercises, and homeopathic consultations.

 

At Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach we spend the time necessary to examine, diagnose and treat every neuromusculoskeletal condition and various ailments you have. Through regular chiropractic visits, you can get pain relief and improve function. Chiropractic is a holistic and natural way to not only treat existing conditions, but to keep your body in its best working condition.  Meiri Chiropractic has been offering effective chiropractic care in Palm Beach county since 2006.  Many of our patient reviews note our excellence.  Call us today at 561-253-8984 in West Palm Beach to make an appointment or to find out more about.

 

 

 

Year after year, we find ourselves making New Year’s resolutions. One of the more popular resolutions is to get in shape. However, February rolls around and this is a real challenge.  In other words, motivation may be a factor for many people.  In addition, pain often gets in the way of their fitness goals. Moreover, your resolution to regular exercise can easily be derailed by nagging ailments and injuries. So are you looking for a natural way to enhance your athletic performance and health in the new year? Chiropractic care may offer a simple solution.

 

The Chiropractic Adjustment and the Stages of Care

 

Today, chiropractic is practiced throughout the world. The profession is the third-largest physician-level independent health profession in the Western world (12). The chiropractic manipulative therapy called an “adjustment,” is scientifically proven to heal many neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.

 

The chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure applying a gentle yet firm thrust, typically delivered in the direction of reduced joint motion to restore normal motion and alignment. In addition, Chiropractors also advise and instruct on posture, stretching, exercise, rehabilitation, nutrition, hydration, and stress management as part of their holistic care plan.

 

The stages of Chiropractic Care include:

 

1. Initial Intensive Care which starts your healing and stops the pain.

 

2. Corrective care is to complete the healing and protect against re-injury now that your pain is gone.

 

3. Wellness Care is for the health conscious who demand optimum performance and body function. In conclusion, while chiropractors treat musculoskeletal injuries, degenerative arthritis/disease, and many other acute and chronic ailments, chiropractors are holistic doctors. Chiropractors focus primarily on healthy living (wellness) and optimization (helping a patient get the best outcome from their body). Certainly, enhancing the sports/athletic performance of the patient falls into this stage.

 

Sports Performance and Injury Prevention

Chiropractors are well-represented on healthcare teams serving professional, collegiate, high school, and recreational athletes national and across the globe.  They assist in management of athletic performance and treatment of sports injuries. All NFL teams and most professional sports teams have doctors of chiropractic as part of the medical staff.

 

Strength Changes after a spinal adjustment

In a study performed with elite Tae Kwon Do athletes,137 researchers found an 8% increase in strength after a single chiropractic adjustment session. The changes in strength in this study were also thought to be due to an increase in cortical drive. (The brain is able to influence muscle movement more effectively). The researchers concluded that spinal adjustments in this group resulted in increased strength and cortical drive and appeared to prevent fatigue. The strength findings lasted for 30 minutes and the cortical drive increase persisted for at least 60 minutes.

Christiansen et al. (2017) Journal of Chiropractic Education

 

Strength changes of the lower limb have been documented following spinal adjustments. In a group of college students, one single session of spinal adjustments increased the strength of their leg muscle by 16%. The authors suggested that the changes in strength they observed after chiropractic adjustments is likely due to changes in cortical drive.

Niazi et al. (2015) Experimental Brain Research

 

In a randomized controlled trial performed with elite Judo athletes, researchers tested their grip strength after three sessions of cervical chiropractic adjustments. After the first session their grip strength increased by an average of 10% across both hands, this increased to 14% after the second and third sessions. No significant changes were observed in the sham group.

Botelho (2012) Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

 

Other studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments can improve brain reaction times and “joint position sense” of both the upper and lower limbs. Essentially, there is increased ability of the brain to process sensory information faster and more accurately. This results in an enhanced awareness of the position and movement of the athlete’s arms and legs. Applying this to the athlete, chiropractic care enhances performance, and helps prevent injuries.  

 

Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions With Chiropractic at Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach

 

At Meiri Chiropractic we spend the time necessary to examine, diagnose and treat every neuromusculoskeletal condition and various ailments you have.  Chiropractic is a holistic and natural way to not only treat existing conditions, but to keep your body in its best working condition.  We have been offering effective chiropractic care in Palm Beach county since 2006.  Many of our patient reviews note our excellence.  Call us today in West Palm Beach at 561-253-8984 to make an appointment. Indeed, you can achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions With Chiropractic.

 

References:

12 National Board of Chiropractic Examiners: About Chiropractic (2017, July) Retrieved from http://www.nbce.org/about/about_chiropractic/