Chiropractic Care for the Needy

Chiropractic care is a wonderful healing art & science. The stress and strain of everyday life can accumulate and result in distortion of the vertebral column. Spinal nerves can become hyper-irritated and joints and disks compressed. Besides stiffness, numbness and pain, nerve flow to vital organs can become disrupted, and set the stage for illness and dis-ease. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore alignment of the spine, ease tension and stress on the nervous system and promote overall well-being.

The way our healthcare system operates in the US, many people in need never make it to a chiropractor's office. Chiropractors are seldom seen in public healthcare clinics or hospitals.

People without insurance or the means to pay for chiropractic care seldom receive the benefits that chiropractic care can provide. I believe that this is unfair, so I make a point of volunteering my chiropractic services at certain times of the year to help the needy.

This Easter Sunday I will be joining other chiropractors and scores of other volunteers at the Georgia Dome for Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless Day of Services. Sometimes people ask... "What can one adjustment do?" My answer is, "Always more than none".

Visit www.hoseafeedthehungry.com for more information and how you can provide support.

Changes, Challenges and Celebrations

For many of us 2011 has been a year of Changes, Challenges and Celebrations too.

This year I Celebrated my 25th year in the Chiropractic profession. A career choice that I made after working as a Wilderness Challenge Instructor with troubled youth in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I look forward to continuing to practice here far into my next quarter century of service.

Changes that we have seen in the practice this year include the addition of Carrie as our Front Desk Chiropractic Assistant. Carrie comes to us after years of helping chiropractic patients in Middle Georgia and Michigan.

We also have a new Chiropractic Table that allows us to implement the Cox Protocols for Degenerative and Herniated Disks, Sciatica and Spinal Stenosis. This gentle distractive technique has proven effectiveness in the majority of patients who are candidates for treatment. You can see the technique in action at our upgraded website, http://www.leadingedgeatlanta.com/.

The other new piece of equipment we have put into service is the WristTrac device. It is shown to be effective in the non-surgical treatment of mild to moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other wrist-related disorders. Visit http://www.wristrac.com/ or contact us for additional information.

On a personal note, my family met a huge Challenge this year. Our twenty year old daughter, Lexi, faced a sudden psychological crisis, and took her life on Memorial Day. Thanks to all of you for your warmth, comfort and support during this difficult time.

Wishing the best for you and your family; here’s to a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Should I see a Massage Therapist or a Chiropractor?

“How do I know if I need to see a Massage Therapist or a Chiropractor?” I am asked this question from time-to-time by prospective patients. It is a good question, and worth taking some time to look at a number of considerations.

Massage Therapists (MT) in Georgia are licensed professionals who graduate from a 9 month course of study. Prerequisites include a High School diploma or equivalent.
Massage is a system of structured touch, pressure, movement or holding of the soft tissues of the body, which has the primary intent to enhance or restore health and well-being.

Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) are licensed healthcare professionals who graduate from a 4-year course of study, and pass 4 National Board Exams. Prerequisites include an undergraduate degree or equivalent. DC’s may examine, use x-rays and other diagnostic testing, diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment or refer.
DC’s may utilize spinal and extra-spinal adjustments, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises, nutritional/dietary supplements and lifestyle modification.

It is very common for health insurance plans, motor vehicle accident insurance and Medicare to cover Chiropractic exams, x-rays and treatment. It is less common for insurance to cover Massage Therapy, but when it does, their must be a diagnosis and examination by a DC, MD or other doctorate level healthcare provider.

A typical first-time Massage Therapy client will have mild stiffness and stress in the neck or back, and they are looking for temporary relief and relaxation. The client comes back to the MT when they want more temporary relief.

A typical first-time Chiropractic patient will have more intense symptoms that interfere with some aspect of their daily life (sleep, work, mood, recreation, chores). They are looking for an understanding of their condition, relief from their pain or other symptoms and how to avoid future problems without drugs or surgery.
The patient follows a recommended schedule of care to get a desired result.

Over the years I have had new patients come to my practice who were told by a Massage Therapist that they needed a Chiropractor, and I have told patients that they needed to get massage more than they needed to be adjusted. Many of our patients who are under my care see our MT as well as me because the two working together is of more benefit than each alone.

What are your thoughts on when to see a Massage Therapist or a Chiropractor?

Best of the Best

Dr. James Cox, founder and developer of the Cox Technic system for spine pain, is one the most outstanding Doctors of Chiropractic in the world. I attended the Cox Symposium for Certified Cox Practitioners this weekend in Nashville, TN, receiving my re-certification status for another two years. I have been certified since 1994, and am one of the few DC's, out of 3,000 licensed chiropractors in Georgia, who carries the Cox certification. The Symposium keeps us up-to-date with the latest information and research documentation that we can apply to help patients who suffer from spine-related pain. The Cox Technic allows me to offer evidence-based non-surgical chiropractic protocols for the relief of spine pain due to disc herniations, stenosis and related conditions causing neck, upper back, shoulder, arm, low back and leg pain. The Cox Technic flexion-distraction protocols have been scrutinized in federally funded research projects. Flexion-distraction biomechanical effects have been documented- drop in intradiscal pressures, increase in spinal canal area and discal height-and clinical outcomes have been published- superior in pain relief for radiculopathy, better for relief of chronic low back pain, and more effective in reducing the need for healthcare visits for spinal pain in the year after treatment. I am proud to provide this specialized non-surgical solution for back pain relief in my Roswell practice. For additional information on Cox Technic, visit www.coxtechnic.com or our practice website www.leadingedgeatlanta.com.

Keeping Young Athletes Fit & Healthy

In today’s age of health and fitness, more and more kids are involved in sporting activities. Although being part of a football, soccer or Little League team is an important rite of passage for many children, parents and their children could be overlooking the importance of proper nutrition and body-conditioning needed for preventing injuries on and off the playing field.

“The majority, if not all, sports are good, provided that the child prepares appropriately,” says Dr. Timothy Ray, a member of the American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness. “Without proper preparation, playing any sport can turn into a bad experience. There are structural and physical developmental issues that need to be taken into consideration before children undertake certain sports.”

Highly competitive sports such as football, gymnastics and wrestling follow rigorous training schedules that can be potentially dangerous to an adolescent or teenager. The best advice for parents who have young athletes in the family is to help them prepare their bodies and to learn to protect themselves from sports related injuries before they happen.

“Proper warm up, stretching and strength-training exercises are essential for kids involved in sports, but many kids learn improper stretching or weight-lifting techniques, making them more susceptible to injury,” says Dr. Steve Horwitz, an ACA member from Silver Spring, Md., and former member of the U.S. Summer Olympic medical team. “Parents need to work with their kids and make sure they receive the proper sports training.”

“Young athletes should begin with a slow jog as a general warm-up, followed by a sport-specific warm-up. They should then stretch all the major muscle groups,” says Dr. Horwitz. “Kids need to be instructed in appropriate exercises for each sport to prevent injuries.”

Proper nutrition and hydration are also extremely vital. “While an ordinary person may need to drink eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of water each day, athletes need to drink even more than that for proper absorption. Breakfast should be the most important meal of the day. Also, eating a healthy meal two to four hours before a practice or a game and another within one to two hours after a game or practice allows for proper replenishment and refuels the body,” adds Dr. Horwitz.

Young athletes today often think they are invincible. The following tips can help ensure your child does not miss a step when it comes to proper fitness, stretching, training and rest that the body needs to engage in sporting activities.

Encourage your child to:
•Wear the proper equipment. Certain contact sports, such as football and hockey, can be dangerous if the equipment is not properly fitted. Make sure all equipment, including helmets, pads and shoes fit your child or adolescent. Talk to your child’s coach or trainer if the equipment is damaged.

•Eat healthy meals. Make sure your young athlete is eating a well-balanced diet and does not skip meals. Avoid high-fat foods, such as candy bars and fast food. At home, provide fruit rather than cookies, and vegetables rather than potato chips.

•Maintain a healthy weight. Certain sports, such as gymnastics, wrestling and figure skating, may require your young athlete to follow strict dietary rules. Be sure your child does not feel pressured into being too thin and that he/she understands that proper nutrition and caloric intake is needed for optimal performance and endurance.

•Drink water. Hydration is a key element to optimal fitness. Teenage athletes should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Younger athletes should drink five to eight 8-ounce glasses of water.

•Drink milk. Make sure your child has enough calcium included in his/her diet. For children over 2 years of age, ACA recommends 1 percent or skim milk rather than whole milk. Milk is essential for healthy bones and reduces the risk of joint and muscle related injuries.

•Avoid sugar-loaded, caffeinated and carbonated drinks. Sports drinks are a good source of replenishment for those kids engaged in long duration sports, such as track and field.

•Follow a warm-up routine. Be sure your child or his/her coach includes a warm-up and stretching session before every practice, game or meet. A slow jog, jumping rope and/or lifting small weights reduces the risk of torn or ripped muscles. Flexibility is key when pushing to score that extra goal or make that critical play.

•Take vitamins daily. A multi-vitamin and Vitamin C are good choices for the young athlete. Vitamin B and amino acids may help reduce the pain from contact sports. Thiamine can help promote healing. Also consider Vitamin A to strengthen scar tissue.

•Avoid trendy supplements. Kids under the age of 18 should avoid the use of performance-enhancing supplements, such as creatine. Instead, they should ask their coach or trainer to include weekly weight training and body-conditioning sessions in their workout.

•Get plenty of rest. Eight hours of sleep is ideal for the young athlete. Lack of sleep and rest can decrease performance. Sluggishness, irritability and loss of interest could indicate that your child is fatigued.
Chiropractic Care Can Help
Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system and can provide advice on sports training, nutrition and injury prevention to young athletes.-Courtesy of the American Chiropractic Association.

Protecting Patients and their Chiropractors in Georgia

There is a saying, "All it takes to let Evil triumph is enough good people doing nothing." There are those in Georgia who would like to see chiropractic patients and their chiropractors lose access to care, lose reimbursement for care and further limit the scope of practice. Insurance companies, medical associations and those who disparage governmental regulation are among those forces who would like to see chiropractic wither on the vine. I am not one to sit by idly and let my patients face discrimination because they have chosen to use chiropractic instead of drugs and surgery.

Last week I spent Thursday morning, along with other Doctors of Chiropractic, lobbying our legislators to support a pro-chiropractic bill in the Georgia Senate. The bill would limit chiropractic adjustments, chiropractic manipulation and chiropractic services to only a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. This would prevent HMO's from tricking citizens into signing up for health plans that stated that "chiropractic" was included in the plan, and then having the "chiropractic" services being supplied by someone who was not a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. I meet with Senator John Albers and stopped off at the office of Senator Judson Hill to urge them to support this bill, and protect chiropractic patients and their chiropractic doctors. I believe it takes more than good intentions, it takes action on those intentions to make Good triumph over Evil.

Top Athletes Benefit from Chiropractic Care

ACA Today News- Recent news stories about Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss and professional golfer Michelle Wie have mentioned chiropractic care as an important part of helping both athletes stay competitive. Moss told The Washington Post that he sees a DC (Doctor of Chiropractic) twice a week to help his aging body cope with the rigors of playing professional football. NBC Sports recently ran a story on its Website stating that Wie is seeing a DC to recover from back problems in time for next season.

Here we have two athletes, two different genders, two different age groups, playing two very different sports- yet both are using chiropractic care to help them stay in their game. Are you letting pain, stiffness or lack of stamina prevent you from staying in your game? You don't have to be a professional athlete to receive the benefits of chiropractic care. You may be a softball player on the company team, an ALTA player for your subdivision team or the parent of a varsity lacrosse player. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective approach to enhancing sports performance, avoid injury and treating pain, strains and sprains.

Dr. Schantz is a Certified Golf Conditioning Specialist and a member of the American Chiropractic Association Council on Fitness and Sport Injuries.

No Miracles-Just Results!

There are three proven steps to take in order to avoid an early death. #1- Don't smoke. #2- Wear your seat belt. #3- Have a healthy body weight. Sound simple? Yes, but simple isn't always easy. Gena Kay Shealy, of WorkLife Solutions, explains the principles behind achieving a healthy body weight. Gena Kay is a Certified Health Coach with Take Shape for Life.

Follow the B.E. S.L.I.M. approach.

Breakfast- You must eat within one hour after waking up. Your body needs fuel to kick start your metabolism, otherwise it will slow down, and you will not lose weight.

Exercise- If you are not in the habit of exercise, then just start off walking more each day. Build up the intensity over a 4 week time period, but remember- you cannot simply exercise your way to a healthy body weight- you must eat right too.

Support- Be accountable to someone who is knowledgeable about healthy eating habits and wants you to succeed. It could be your partner, a friend, your chiropractor or a Certified Health Coach like Gena Kay.

Low Fat- Some fat is necessary to sustain our health, but we eat too much of it. We need to feed ourselves frequently with low fat and modest calorie foods. This will keep our blood sugar level and put us into a higher metabolic state for losing weight.

Individualize- Feeding yourself six times a day takes some thinking and planning. Take a look at your life, and figure out what can work for you. Take Shape for Life uses Medifast Meals to help make choices easier.

Moniter- You have to keep track of how you are doing, if you make sure you get there. Helpful monitoring tools are a tape measure, a scale and a pair of jeans that you want to fit back into.
Blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol measurements are important, if you have issues with hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

Cold Weather Chiropractor

Many of us in Atlanta got slammed by the cold and snowy weather. Did I let it stop me? Maybe a little bit. But soon I was back in action! Last Saturday I brought my portable chiropractic table and my friend, Mr. Bones, to the Float the Boat Bouldering Competition in West Atlanta. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport of bouldering, let me explain. It is like rockclimbing in that you try to scamper up the face of a cliff. Instead of using a rope and safety gear to catch you if you fall, you simply place a padded mat (known as a crash pad) at the base of the rock to cushion your fall. Most people only climb 10-20 feet high when they boulder.

So what, you may think, can a chiropractor do to help climbers in a bouldering competition?

A chiropractor can help stretch tight muscles and joints to make climbers more limber. You have to be able to reach far with your arms and legs when you boulder. A chiropractor can balance body mechanics, so a climber has better leverage when they make awkward moves. A chiropractor can increase muscle strength by adjusting the spine to free up the nerve supply to muscles. It takes muscles strength to hang on to tiny holds and hoist yourself up the rock.

Over 50 people competed in the cold weather, which began in the 20F's and barely creeped into the 40F's. Whether it is hot or cold, you can count on me to get the job done!

How does a 5 year old know if he needs a chiropractor?

Most 5 years olds don't walk into our office on their own. The most dramatic episode in my professional life was when one was carried in by his father.

I was working as an Associate in an established chiropractic office in Sandy Springs in the late 1980's.

On Saturdays I saw all the patients in the practice. I was getting ready to leave for the day when our receptionist told me that we had one more patient to see. There in the doorway was a man in his mid-30's clutching a young boy wheezing and gasping for breathe. I exclaimed to the father, "This boy belongs in the Emergency Room-not a chiropractic office!". The man replied, "We have tried that route before, but it doesn't work-please help my son!" I couldn't say no, so I had him place the boy on the chiropractic table. I palpated his spine and found several vertebra associated with the nerve supply to the lungs misaligned. I carefully placed my hands in the proper position and performed a swift thrust. The vertebra popped in to place. The boy immediately began breathing rhythmically and regularly with no sign of respiratory distress. He fell asleep in his father's arms, and together they left the clinic for their home.

The clinical experience of most chiropractic doctors will show that children tend to respond to chiropractic treatment for internal disorders. This is because their nervous system is more sensitive than adults, and subluxations of their spines will more commonly result in nerve disruption to internal organs, rather than trigger pain.

By the time a child has reached the age of 5 they have grown 500% or more since birth. They have learned to crawl, sit up, stand, climb, walk and run. Along the way they have had an opportunity to accumulate spills, falls and upsets that can result in subluxations of the spine.

The subluxations may cause nerve interference-even in the absence of pain.

44% of patients surveyed at our practice felt that it would be OK to bring a child to a chiropractor after the age of 5.

What do you think?

What can chiropractic do to help spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition that affects as many as a half million Americans over the age of fifty, and it is rapidly becoming more common as the average age of Americans increases. Stenosis refers to thickening and hardening of the ligaments of the spine, along with decay in the disks. This causes narrowing of the spinal canal and/or opennings that allow the spinal nerves to travel to the pelvis and legs. The sad thing is that there is no good way to predict who will become affected by this disorder. The symptoms are characterized by nagging pain and stiffness in the lower back. It may be accompanied by pain that radiates into either or both legs, especially when walking for any distance. The classic sign of this condition is that the leg pains subside quickly with sitting or bending forward at the waist. So what can chiropractic do to help spinal stenosis? One of the most promising treatments is the Cox Decompression and Manipulation Method which helps to stretch the ligaments of the lower spine. By stretching the ligaments, their diameter becomes thinner, and they do not crowd the spinal nerves. The Cox Method also helps to increase the intradiscal space ( the area between the vertebrae) helping to alleviate disk degeneration. To find a chiropractor who is a Certified Cox Doctor in your area visit www.coxtechnic.com and click on Cox Physicians.