If you're a migraine sufferer, this post is for YOU!

Did you know migraine is the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world and affects 12% of the US population? 

Migraines are the seventh leading cause of years lived with disability, with a worldwide prevalence estimated at 11.6% (greater than 20% of chronic migraine sufferers are disabled and the likelihood of disability increases with the number of comorbid conditions).

Migraines are most commonly experienced between the ages of 18-44 years and not only affect men and women, but children as well.

• 6% of men experience migraines
• 18% of women experience migraines (about 28 million in the US)
• 10% of children experience migraines

For many migraine sufferers, migraine is a chronic disease that significantly decreases their quality of life and the overuse of medication is the most common reason episodic migraines turn chronic.
 
Interestingly, other common ailments for those with chronic migraine include anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

what is a migraine?
A migraine is a common condition characterized by recurrent, throbbing headaches which include moderate to severe pain that can last up to three days. Migraine sufferers also report symptoms such as photophobia (light sensitivity), phonophobia (anxiety disorder/fear of loud sounds), and nausea.
 
Common migraine-associated signs/symptoms:

• Constipation*
• Mood swings*
• Food cravings*
• Neck pain, or stiffness*
• Increased thirst and urination*
• Frequent yawning*
• Visual phenomena (e.g. shapes, bright spots/flashes of light)**
• Vision loss**
• Pins and needles sensations in arms/legs**
• Weakness or numbness in face or one side of body**
• Difficulty speaking**
• Hearing noises or music**
• Uncomfortable jerking or other movements**
• Feeling lethargic
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to smells
• Sensitivity to sounds
• Throbbing (head/neck)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Auras (e.g. sensory [hearing noises/noise sensitivity], flashing lights, zigzag patterns, tracers)
• Or other vision or hearing disturbances including extreme sensitivity to light and sound

*may occur prodrome (1-2 days prior to experiencing a migraine)
**may occur right before or during a migraine (aura)
 
Migraines are often undiagnosed and untreated. Diagnosis of migraines is highly individualized and is often based on a person’s symptoms.
 
potential migraine causes + triggers
Potential migraine triggers include:

• Hormonal changes in women
• Alcohol (especially wine)
• Too much caffeine (e.g. coffee, soda, etc.)
• Stress
• Sensory stimuli (e.g. bright lights, strong smells, etc.)
• Sleep changes
• Physical factors (e.g. intense physical exertion)
• Weather changes
• Medications (e.g. oral contraceptives, vasodilators, etc.)
• Foods (e.g. aged cheeses, salty foods, processed foods, etc.)
• Food additives (e.g. artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, monosodium glutamate [MSG], etc.)

With this, the expression of a migraine may be influenced by specific dietary and/or nutrition-related factors that can play a role in inflammation, vasodilation, glucose metabolism, and attack frequency/severity.

Many foods are known to cause neurovascular and neurochemical effects in individuals prone to migraines either directly (i.e. endogenous or artificial chemicals) or indirectly (release of immune mediators such as inflammatory cytokines).

Examples of endogenous chemicals are the amines:

• Histamine
• Octopamine
• Phenylethylamine
• Tyramine (naturally found in aged cheese; aged, canned, cured, or processed meats; beans [e.g. fava beans, broad beans]; pickles; and canned soups)

Additionally, food additives such as nitrates (often found in processed meats) and MSG (found in meat tenderizer, soy sauce, Asian foods, and a variety of packaged foods) have also been associated with the presentation of migraines.

Other food substances often considered to be triggers include tannins and phenols found in:

• Apple skins
• Bananas
• Black tea
• Red wine
• Sulfites (prevalent in wines)

Other diet-related factors that may be associated with increased expression of migraine symptoms includes:

• Dehydration
• Fasting
• Skipping meals
• Alcohol use/withdrawal
• Caffeine withdrawal

common food-related migraine triggers

• Aged cheeses (e.g. blue cheese, cheddar, feta, gorgonzola, parmesan, Swiss)
• Alcohol (especially wine)
• Aspartame
• Caffeine
• Canned soups
• Canned, cured, or processed meats
• Certain beans (e.g. fava, broad, garbanzo, lima, pinto)
• Chocolate
• Citrus
• Histamine-releasing foods: bananas, strawberries, raspberries, oranges, and grapefruit
• MSG
• Nitrites
• Nuts
• Olives
• Onions
• Overripe avocados, tomatoes, and bananas
• Pickled foods
• Raisins
• Salty foods
• Smoked fish and cured meats
• Soy sauce
• Sulfites
• Yeast extract (not the same as nutritional yeast)
• Other:
  • Foods containing tannins and phenols (e.g. apple skins, bananas, black tea, red wine, sulfites)
  • Foods containing tyramine (e.g. aged cheese; aged, canned, cured, or processed meats; beans [e.g. fava beans, broad beans]; pickles; and canned soups)
  • Food containing additives (e.g. nitrates, MSG, etc.)

​determining food triggers + cause
When it comes to determining the root cause of migraines, there is much controversy as to what exactly to consider. How a practitioner accurately determines the specific food triggers and/or nutrition intervention to mitigate or eliminate migraines is still inconclusive. There's a lot of discussion as to whether or not dietary intervention and/or elimination protocols are an appropriate, successful intervention in migraine prevention.

Emerging studies have identified support for the role of comprehensive diets in the prevention of migraines (performed under the care of a credentialed practitioner ensuring adequate macronutrient and vitamin/mineral intakes).

It has also been reported that a diet rich in omega-3 and low in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) appeared to decrease migraine frequency.

It may also be possible that a migraine is associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which is why an in-depth symptom diary and health history is vital for a practitioner in getting to the root-cause of the presenting migraine.

Migraines can also be triggered by impingement of the vertebral artery which is encased in the first 6 cervical (neck) bones of the neck.

Finally, keep in mind food sensitivities can be dose-dependent. This means that a client may experience symptoms with a certain amount of a specific food consumed (e.g. ¼ cup nuts = no symptoms vs. 1 cup nuts = symptoms present).

what you can do...
Because there are so many 'unknowns'' surrounding migraine, a full evaluation by a licensed chiropractor and integrative dietitian is a great place to start. Practitioners who focus on a root-cause approach can help to identify triggers or 'blindspots', address these areas, or suggest further testing. 

Once environmental, lifestyle, and hormonal factors have been ruled-out, a practitioner may suggest nutrition intervention in which the elimination of food triggers is used. If, after an introductory elimination diet is implemented and migraines persist, Mediator Release Testing (MRT) and a Lifestyle Eating and Performance (LEAP) dietary approach may help to identify food sensitivities that are contributing to migraine symptoms and allow a practitioner to suggest a more long-term approach to eating to best support the clients and his/her nutrition needs and symptoms.

Testing to identify food allergies and/or sensitivities can be useful in identifying an appropriate anti-inflammatory or anti-migraine diet. MRT and the LEAP protocol help to correctly identify foods or food chemicals that may be responsible for symptoms/hypersensitivity reactions and give the practitioner a framework for constructing a diet plan that will be beneficial for the client using ‘safe foods’.

The key? Every body is different. It may take time to experience symptom relief, identify triggers, etc.

nutrition + lifestyle practices to consider​

• Consume foods that help ease migraines such as Omega-3 containing foods (nuts, seeds, wild-caught fish such as salmon, sardines, etc.).
• Get adequate, uninterrupted sleep along with a consistent sleep-wake cycle.
• Engage in regular mindfulness and mediation practices.
• Engage in practices to reduce or manage stress.
• Limit stimuli such as strong smells, loud noises, or flashing lights.
• Optimize and support gut health.
• Keep a symptom diary; this will help you to track how/what you are feeling and when. This information also helps a practitioner to pinpoint whether or not specific foods or food additives are contributing to migraine incidence. In the diary, document the following (and timing of occurrence):
  • Foods consumed
  • Medications/supplements taken
  • Amount of water consumed
  • Notably, some reactions may not be immediate and could present over the course of a few hours to several days after a specific food is consumed.

• Get evaluated by a wellness-focused, licensed chiropractor.
• Meet with an integrative practitioner to identify food triggers, implement an elimination diet, and get appropriate supplementation recommendations (if appropriate).

supplementation considerations

• Studies have illustrated that a magnesium deficiency may play a role in migraines.
• CoQ10 has been shown to reduce migraine frequency.
• Riboflavin supplementation has been shown to prevent migraines.

Want more information on the above recommendations or to set-up an initial exam with our chiropractor? Make an appointment today and ask about our FREE Foundations Class!

For a complete nutrition assessment including nutrition-focused examination, recommendations, and more information on lab testing, contact our integrative dietitian.

to health + wellness,

Sports Chiropractic in Elkhorn

Chiropractic is an integral part of the care that many professional athletes receive. But just because you aren’t going to the Olympics doesn’t mean that you too can’t improve your health and performance with chiropractic care.

When it comes to sports injuries, weakness or improper stretching can put you at risk of getting hurt. There are two basic types of sports injuries: the first is the result of a trauma inflicted by incidents like a collision or a slip or a fall. The second type is caused by the overuse of a muscle group or joint whereby the repetitive movement of the same area causes an inflammation or injury.

It is vitally important to get proper care for any injury to prevent the development of chronic problems or permanent damage. Chiropractors are trained in treating sports-related injuries, so can advise you in the best way to heal an injury and how best to prevent it from recurring. In fact, earlier research has suggested chiropractic is the most effective conservative treatment option for athletes with back pain.

Chiropractic care for sports injury can range from massage therapy to joint manipulation, or specific exercises that target problem areas and strengthen previously injured or weakened muscles and joints.Working in conjunction with a qualified trainer and a chiropractor can help you stay in great shape and prevent injuries.

Call your Chiropractors in Elkhorn today to schedule an appointment. 

Resolution Of Constipation, Vomiting, And Leg Pain In A Child Undergoing Chiropractic.

A case study published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health on November 14, 2013 documented the "Resolution of Severe Constipation, Vomiting and Leg Pain in a Child Undergoing Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care."

In noting the growing popularity of chiropractic care for children with serious health issues, the authors of this study state, "The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the pediatric population continues to grow; particularly in those children with chronic conditions such as cancer, asthma, ADHD, diabetes, ear-nose-throat infections, and irritable bowel disease, to list a few. Of the practitioner-based CAM therapies, chiropractic is the most popular and highly utilized for children."

The term "complementary and alternative medicine", or "CAM" for short, is a common term used in healthcare research to describe healthcare that does not directly fall under the medical model. Although most chiropractors do not describe chiropractic as an "alternative", many medical and scientific references consider chiropractic to fall under the alternative category.

In this case, a 6-year-old boy suffering from constipation and leg pain was brought to the chiropractor by his mother. The boy was suffering with severe constipation since age 2, and had been on medication for the past 2 years. At the time he was brought to the chiropractor, the boy was on four different medications daily.

A chiropractic examination was performed which revealed postural abnormalities along with multiple areas of the boy's spine showing inflammation and sensitivity. It was determined that multiple areas of subluxation were present and, with the mother's consent, a course of specific corrective chiropractic care was initiated.

On the third visit, the boy's mother reported that her son was having bowel movements on a daily basis. The bowel movements were no longer painful, as they were prior to care. By the sixth visit the boy's mother reported that, since her son was responding to the chiropractic care so well, she had decided to stop all of his medications. By the boy's seventh visit, his appetite was better, he was reported as eating "much better", and he started to gain weight. The boy's leg pain also resolved.

In a follow up 15 months after the initiation of chiropractic care, the boy's problems had not returned. His mother noted that her son’s appetite was "voracious," and he was continuing to gain weight. It was also noted that the prior year the boy had missed 45 days of school, but since starting chiropractic care he had only missed 2 days.

Visit your Elkhorn, WI Chiropractor today!  And experience the benefits of living life Subluxation-Free! 

Position Your Body for Success
One important aspect to living a life of wellness is exactly that – living! We live and enjoy this life by being active, allowing our spine, nervous system, and joints to move for optimal functioning.

We can be active by playing a sport, working in the garden, working on a project, or even going on a hike.

Before you dive into your favorite activity, position your body for success and good health. Here’s how:

Remember to warm up.Whatever the sport or activity you love, sometimes it’s easier to just dive in without a proper warm-up. By not warming up the joints, the chances of straining a muscle or injuring a ligament increase, keeping you on the sidelines.

Warming up is simply starting out slowly. Get your body moving in whatever activity you enjoy, gradually building momentum. If your activity is walking, start slowly and gradually build up speed to your comfort level. Starting out slowly allows your muscles and joints to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to perform the activity.

By warming up, not only will your body be better prepared for physical activity, but you will also notice improved physical performance.

Utilize proper posture and movement. For example, if you’re planting flowers in the garden or working on a project in the garage, remember to lift objects with support from your legs rather than with your back alone. Keeping your back in an upright position while lifting with your legs will help the discs in your spine to stay active and healthy.

Rather than bending down and twisting your back while shoveling, keep your back straight, bend at the knees, lift the loaded shovel with your legs, and turn with your whole body. If you find yourself on your knees for an extended period of time, remember to take a break, get up and move to increase circulation to your leg muscles and knee joints. Studies have shown that active engagement in improving your posture and movement reduce lower back pain.

Together with chiropractic care, warming up with healthy joint movement and body posture will allow you to better enjoy your favorite activities while avoiding injury. You will be able to enjoy a healthier lifestyle, enabling you to further enrich the lives of those you love.

According to a new study in JAMA Pediatrics, concussions are common in middle and high school girls playing soccer. While CDC numbers indicate 173,286 sports-related brain injuries among children, about 50,000 of these injuries occur in middle and high school soccer players. That's almost a third of childhood traumatic brain injuries, and yet the CDC openly acknowledges that these figures are hard to track so the numbers may be even higher!

However, for anyone familiar with the short-term and long-term repercussions of this injury, the scariest stat is that 58.6% of teenagers who get a concussion continue playing soccer through the symptoms! Many doctors feel that "brain rest" is one of the most important things to do with any athlete suspected of having a concussion. Continuing to play and risk additional injury is dangerous.  

It's clear that recreational and school athletic teams must do a better job of assessing, monitoring, and protecting these young athletes, but it's also the parent's responsibility to protect their children. If you have kids, we recommend contacting their school and coaches to make sure both are informed about brain injuries and know how to appropriately assess and treat them.

Additionally, there is more to be concerned about than just the really scary injuries. Physical trauma in sports is very common, and long-term structural changes to the spine can result in chronic pain and dysfunction. That's why I recommend all children, especially athletes, get checked regularly by a chiropractor to ensure they not only prevent chronic injuries, but also perform at their best!

Contact your Elkhorn Chiropractor today! 
[email protected] or 262-215-2292

Chad Schleiger, D.C.

Finding relief from Fibromyalgia with Elkhorn Chiropractic

Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by widespread pain in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.  Some other problems commonly linked with fibromyalgia include fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep problems, headaches, numbness in hands and feet, depression, and anxiety.  Fibromyalgia can develop on its own, or secondary to other musculoskeletal conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or systemic lupus.

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia requires a history of at least three months of widespread pain, and pain and tenderness in a least 11 of 18 tender-point sites.  These tender-point sites include fibrous tissue or muscles of the Neck, Shoulders, Chest, Rib Cage, Lower Back, Thighs, Knees, Arms (elbows) and Buttocks.  The overwhelming characteristic of fibromyalgia is long-standing, body-wide pain with defined tender points.  Tender points are distinct from trigger points seen in other pain syndromes.  (Unlike tender points, trigger points can occur in isolation and represent a source of radiating pain, even in the absence of direct pressure.)  Fibromyalgia pain can mimic the pain experienced by people with various types of arthritis.  The soft-tissue pain of fibromyalgia is described as deep-aching, radiating, gnawing, shooting or burning, and ranges from mild to severe.  Fibromyalgia sufferes tend to waken with body aches and stiffness.

Chiropractic care works on relieving pain and symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Isn’t it time you tried chiropractic care for you and your family? If you are experiencing any of the common symptoms below, please call our office now to schedule an appointment. Common symptoms include multiple tender areas, sleep disturbances, reduced axercise, fatigue, body aches, and chronic muscle pain.


For more info, contact your Elkhorn Chiropractor today! 

Elkhorn Chiropractors are being put in the public eye of causing stroke...once again...   
On September 25, 1987, Getzendanner issued her opinion that the AMA had violated Section 1, but not 2, of the Sherman Act, and that it had engaged in an unlawful conspiracy in restraint of trade "to contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession." (Wilk v. American Medical Ass'n, 671 F. Supp. 1465, N.D. Ill. 1987).  The American Medical Association lost in the 80's violating anti-trust acts and were convicted of conspiracy against the chiropractic profession...  
As successful and widespread as chiropractic is becoming, many myths floating around in the general public are being put to rest.  Times have definitely changed as chiropractic now moves to the forefront of healthcare.  Nevertheless, the fact is that many people still don't understand what chiropractors do and why chiropractic works.  Let's clear up a few of the common yet outmoded and limiting myths about chiropractic.

Chiropractors are real doctors. 
Chiropractors are licensed as primary health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world.  The chiropractic and medical school curricula are virtually identical, with a few exceptions.  Chiropractors actually have more hours of education than their medical counterparts.  The chiropractic curriculum also focuses more on treatment of dis-ease in the body, while the medical curriculum focuses on the diagnosis and management of conditions.

Chiropractors receive extensive training, combined with many hours of practical work.  Just like conventional medical doctors, chiropractors are medical professionals that are subject to the same testing, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards.  Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and Workers' Compensations programs cover chiropractic, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic.

The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their education or diagnostic ability, but in their philosophy and preferred method of treatment.   Chiropractic philosophy is centered in the premise that the body is self-healing and self-regulating, as long as there is no interference to the expression of its Innate Intelligence.  Medical philosophy is centered in the use of chemicals and surgery to treat the effects of that interference.  Consequently, medical doctors are excellent in crisis care.  However, chiropractic care is excellent in wellness care and prevention, treating the whole person that has the condition.  Chiropractic care is aimed at treating the cause of disease, and not just the symptoms and results of disease.   By removing nerve interference through the chiropractic adjustment and providing lifestyle coaching, the body is restored to optimal physiology and homeostasis.

Medical doctors and chiropractors can work together. 
The American Medical Association's opposition to chiropractic was at it's strongest in the 1940s under the leadership of Morris Fishbein.  He tried to portray chiropractors as unscientific. Up to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the medical establishment purposely conspired to try to destroy the profession of chiropractic.  In fact, in a landmark lawsuit in the 1980s found that the American Medical Association was guilty of conspiracy and was ordered to pay restitution.

In the 20 years since, the position of most medical doctors has changed; mostly because of several major studies that showed the superiority of chiropractic in treating a host of conditions, coupled with a better understanding among medical doctors about what chiropractors actually do.  Many hospitals across the country now have chiropractors on staff and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff.  Chiropractors and medical doctors are now much more comfortable working together in cases where medical care is necessary as an adjunct to chiropractic care.

Once you start going to a chiropractor, you'll want to maintain the established good health for the rest of your life. 
It would be silly to think you could do maintenance on your car just once and expect the car to last very long.  Can you imagine doing only one or two oil changes on your car?  Yet many people take better care of their cars than they do their bodies!  You only get one body is this lifetime.  How many cars will you own in your lifetime?  More importantly, while you may be able to do replacement parts for your body, there is no replacement part for your nervous system.  It has been said that once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going the rest of your life.   Well, you don't have to do anything.  Health is a choice and a responsibility.  It is much like going to a dentist, exercising at a gym or eating a healthier diet, as long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits. 

Many years ago dentists began educating the public to understand that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt or develop problems, and that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time.  It is important to recognize that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences wear and tear when you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep and bend.  And even faster wear and tear develops if you exercise on a subluxated spine.  Regular chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime.  Although you can enjoy great benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive treatment for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a lifestyle.  Just like exercise or healthy eating.

You are more likely to be struck by lightening than you are to have a stroke as a result of a chiropractic adjustment. 
Strokes are definitely a serious event, no doubt.  There are still some uninformed yet well intentioned medical doctors who tell their patients to avoid chiropractic adjustments to the neck due to the risk of stroke.  Of course there is a possibility of this happening, but it is less than the possibility of being struck by lightening!  On the other hand, you are 70,000 times more likely to suffer a stroke from the daily use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks.  You are also 37,000 times more likely to suffer a stroke for some unknown reason than to suffer a stroke from a chiropractic adjustment.  When administered by a trained and licensed doctor of chiropractic, adjustments are extremely safe.

Elkhorn Chiropractors are highly trained professionals to detect and correct the cause of your discomfort, aches, pains and more... If you or someone you know is struggling with some type of issue don't hesitate to call.  Your Elkhorn Chiropractor can help! 

Drug-free pain relief for back and neck pain is possible here at Dr. Chad Schleiger's Elkhorn Chiropractic office. Our chiropractor offers pain management as well as chiropractic care and nutrition services so that you can reduce your pain and lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

Managing Neck and Back Pain

Millions of individuals suffer from chronic neck and back pain, and as a result, they take pain medications to numb the pain. Unfortunately, medications do not treat the source of the pain. Our chiropractor strives to not only reduce your pain through holistic methods, but to prompt your body into healing itself. This is accomplished through the use of chiropractic adjustments as well as other treatments.

The adjustments realign the spine into its proper position, which reduces pain by taking the stress and pressure off of the surrounding ligaments and muscles and decompressing and relieving pinched nerves.

The Importance of Stretching

To maintain joint flexibility, improve posture and to prevent injuries, everyone should stretch on a daily basis. However, it’s important to stretch correctly. Between three to five minutes of mild to moderate activity should be performed prior to stretching to reduce the chances of pulling a muscle. Each pose should be held for between 10 seconds and one minute.

Getting Regular Exercise

It is also important to get regular exercise. Exercising on a regular basis can help you control your weight or lose weight and maintain your muscles mass and endurance. It also improves heart and lung health and increases energy.

For individuals who have chronic neck and back pain, participating in regular cardio and weight lifting exercise routines can reduce pain. When the muscles are strong, they are better able to support the skeletal system, which reduces wear and tear on the neck and back.

Are you ready to take your life back, control your pain and start leading an active, healthy lifestyle?

Call your Elkhorn Chiropractor today! 

Injury is an obvious cause for joint pain. However, a less obvious cause for joint pain is inflammation. Millions of Americans suffer from joint pain caused by inflammation and this isn’t triggered by overuse or abuse. The pain is real and yet there is no evidence of a break or damage to a joint such as a hip, elbow, wrist, knee, back, neck, etc. The culprit may be inflammation brought on by diet. Your diet can be causing your joint pain. We are all vulnerable to inflammation which can become chronic unless we understand what causes inflammation and we make choices every day to keep our bodies in balance.

What is inflammation and how can we control inflammation in our bodies?

Inflammation is the body’s immune response to an allergen in diet. It is a biological response to try to remove it and heal- specifically with acute inflammation. Through trial and error, you can find what foods trigger your pain and inflammation markers. While there is no definitive diet for arthritis and joint point sufferers since triggers are unique to an individual, there are inflammatory foods that should be avoided or at least limited for a trial and error diet plan.

Inflammatory Trigger Foods

Fried Foods
Processed Foods
Sugar
Refined Carbohydrates
Dairy Products
Alcohol
Tobacco
Salt
Preservatives
Corn Oil

What can we do to counter inflammation?

Adding more vegetables and fruits is usually a good diet for most individuals. Keeping your diet as pure and unprocessed as possible will help avoid various health concerns. There are foods with anti-inflammatory content that can be added to diet to see improvement in general health.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Omega-3 fatty acid fish such as salmon, mackeral, tuna & sardines
Dark leafy greens
Colorful vegetables such as peppers
Nuts, particularly almonds and walnuts
Tomatoes
Ginger and turmeric
Garlic and onions
Olive Oil
Berries
Tart cherries – In a 2012 presentation, Oregon Health & Science University researchers suggested that tart cherries have the “highest anti-inflammatory content of any food.”

Contact Chiropractors in Elkhorn for Joint Pain or any other discomfort you may be battling with.  Resolve your pain... and get your health back! 

Fibromyalgia … Can there be relief?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic neurosensory disorder that is marked by widespread musculoskeletal aches, multiple defined tender points, joint stiffness, fatigue and disturbed and nonrestorative sleep. The condition is chronic (ongoing), but pain comes and goes and moves about the body. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, and pelvis, but any body part can be involved.

Fibromyalgia patients describe increased sensitivity to pain with such terms as exhausting, miserable, or unbearable. Tender Points may occur at nine bilateral locations clustering around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee, and elbow regions.

The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown and often times combined symptoms are misunderstood. At one time fibromyalgia was dismissed by many traditional medical practitioners as a phantom illness. Despite extensive research, no structural pathology has been identified in muscles or other tissues.  Abundant evidence now indicates that pain in fibromyalgia reflects abnormal pain processing in the central nervous system. 

Frustration is often multiplied when not only does one experience tender and trigger points in many areas of the body but also experiences, sleeplessness, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, irritable bladder, “brain fog”, depression and anxiety. This combination of other symptoms/issues may make it difficult to find an effective solution and may make it more difficult to find an accurate diagnosis. Many patients find themselves taking a myriad of medications to combat all different aspects of pain and discomfort associated with this disease.

A NATURAL APPROACH
Many more sufferers are turning to non-medical approaches for symptom relief including low-impact exercise, acupressure, acupuncture, nutritional and massage therapy. Many are achieving results with Subluxation-based Chiropractic care. This natural approach frees the body from a severe form of stress found in the body called subluxation. Subluxation is a spinal misalignment which causes nerve impingement, inhibiting normal flow and energy transmission specific areas of the body. This distortion of the spine and structural system stresses your brain, spinal cord and central nervous system.

Several studies have been successfully documented in which patients with fibromyalgia received improvement after receiving chiropractic care. In one study 23 fibromyalgia sufferers with chronic fatigue syndrome from 11 to 76 years of age received chiropractic care.  All 23 patients reported improvement and all of them maintained their improvement after one year of follow-up or more. Every patient reported that they were able to resume their normal activities including full-time work.

Brigadier General Becky Halstead served 27 years in the U.S. Army and was the first female general to command troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sharing her experience on how chiropractic care helped her recover from debilitating chronic fibromyalgia, she states, “Chiropractic care provided me with a better quality of life [… ] Traditional medicine did not work for me…doctors of chiropractic not only allow but strongly encourage the patient to be part of the solution for their wellness.”

In another study of 15 women with fibromyalgia who began chiropractic care, 60% reported a statistically significant lessening of pain intensity and corresponding improvement in quality of sleep and fatigue level after 15 and 30 treatments. After 30 treatments, these women reported an average lessening of 77.2% lessening in pain intensity and improvement of 63.5% in sleep quality and 74.8% improvement in level of fatigue.

ANOTHER CONTRIBUTOR
Since accidents cause subluxation, it is no coincidence that many who suffer from fibromyalgia have suffered from trauma or accidents. There is strong evidence supporting an association between trauma and fibromyalgia with one published study 8 showing that adults with neck injuries had greater than a 10-fold increased risk of developing fibromyalgia within one year of their injury, compared with adults with lower extremity fractures.

AN ANSWER
When free of subluxation, your body is able to communicate freely as nerves are not inhibited in their flow of energy. Everyone with a spine needs a body free of subluxations.  If you or a loved one suffers from fibromyalgia or chronic pain, please see a subluxation-based chiropractor today.  Can you honestly tell yourself you’ve tried everything if you haven’t tried this? It may make the difference between an improved quality of life and continued suffering.

Let your Elkhorn Chiropractors help you get rid of your pain today... for good!