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What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

7/29/2022

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Hello, everyone! This is Dr. Bob Salamon with Lowcountry Chiropractic. As always, I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy! In my last post, we discussed ways to care for your back and stay healthy at home. Today, we’ll be discussing degenerative disc disease, which is a condition in which a damaged disc causes pain. Despite its name, degenerative disc disease is not actually a disease– It is simply a condition that occurs when there are changes in the discs of the spine. This condition can occur due to the normal process of aging, but there are other causes, too. If you are interested in learning more about this condition, its causes, and how chiropractic care can help, you’re in the right place! Let’s get started.

To understand degenerative disc disease, we must first take a look at the spine. The spine is made up of 24 small bones called vertebrae. These vertebrae are stacked on top of one another to create the spinal column. In between each vertebra are intervertebral discs, which are soft, gel-like cushions that act as shock absorbers. Each disc is flat and circular, about an inch in diameter and one-quarter inch thick. They are made up of two components: the annulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus. To put it more simply, the annulus fibrosus is a tough and fibrous outer layer and the nucleus pulposus is a jelly-like inner layer. The discs are held in place by the ligaments connecting the spinal bones. Additionally, the top and bottom of each vertebral body are coated with an endplate, which is a structure that blends into the disc and helps hold it in place. Discs keep the spine stable, help you stand up straight, and help you go through everyday motions like bending. 

Although intervertebral discs are described as shock absorbers, they are not as flexible or pliable as they may sound. When we are children, discs start as fluid-like sacs, but with the normal aging process, the blood supply to the discs has stopped. When the blood supply to the disc has stopped, the soft, inner material of the discs begins to harden, making the discs less elastic. By the time we reach middle age, the disks are tough and have a consistency of hard rubber. Because of this change, the outer protective lining of the discs becomes weaker and makes the discs more susceptible to injury. Additionally, since discs at this point do not have a blood supply, a disc cannot repair itself once it is injured. 

Due to the normal wear and tear of aging, discs begin to break down and may not work as well. Almost everyone’s discs will break down over time, but this does not always cause pain. Pain associated with worn-out spinal discs is called degenerative disc disease. There are two predominant ways that the discs can change and cause degenerative disc disease:

  • When we are born, spinal discs are mostly made up of water. As we get older, the discs lose water and get thinner, while also being cut off from the blood supply, as mentioned previously. The water loss results in less cushion or padding between the vertebrae. This can lead to other problems in the spine that can cause pain.
  • Everyday wear and tear throughout our lives can cause small tears in the outer wall, which contains nerves. Tears near the nerves can cause pain, and if the outer wall breaks down, the disk can bulge or slip out of place. This is called a slipped or herniated disc.

Since disks can begin to wear away over time, degenerative disc disease is most common in older adults. This condition can develop in your 30s or 40s, and progressively worsen. In fact, after age 40, almost everyone has some disc degeneration, even if they do not develop symptoms. However, there are some factors that can increase your risk of developing this condition:

  • Acute injuries, like falling
  • Working physically demanding jobs
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Biological sex, since women are more likely to experience symptoms than men

Once degenerative disc disease develops, it can worsen over time. Here are some common symptoms of this condition:

  • Pain that primarily affects the lower back
  • Pain that extends to the buttocks or legs 
  • Periods of severe pain that come and go
  • Pain that worsens when bending, sitting, or lifting
  • Pain that extends from the neck to the arms
  • Pain that comes and goes, ranging from a few days to a few months

In some cases, usually more severe, degenerative disc disease can cause numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. Sometimes, the leg muscles may become weak, which is a possible sign of nerve damage. 

Degenerative disc disease is diagnosed by analyzing medical history, conducting a physical examination, and most often by imaging scans, such as an MRI. Although discs cannot repair themselves, there are treatment options available that can help manage pain and stop further damage from occurring. A doctor will suggest treatment such as anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, or steroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain. In severe cases, a doctor may recommend surgery. However, another non-invasive option is chiropractic care. In fact, chiropractic care is often a preferred method of treatment among individuals with degenerative disc disease. The goal of treating degenerative disc disease with chiropractic care is to improve spinal motion and decrease inflammation.

Chiropractic treatment for degenerative disc disease may include chiropractic adjustments. A chiropractic adjustment is a procedure in which a chiropractor uses their hands to apply a controlled, sudden force to a spinal joint. The goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to realign parts of the vertebrae and remove any other interferences or subluxations. When a vertebra is misaligned, or your spine is subject to subluxations, this can prevent your body from undergoing its natural healing process. Misalignment and interferences such as subluxations put extra stress on the spine and can speed up the degenerative process. If you are interested in learning more about subluxations, check out one of my previous blogs!

A chiropractor might also use spinal manipulation to treat degenerative disc disease. Spinal manipulation is sometimes referred to as a spinal adjustment. There are several types of spinal manipulation techniques, including specific spinal manipulation. With this technique, a chiropractor will identify which joints in the spine are restricted or moving abnormally and use a gentle thrusting technique to restore movement. Another technique is called the flexion-distraction technique. This technique is performed on a specialized table that has segments that move as the chiropractor slowly manipulates the spine. The combination of spinal manipulation with the movements of the table helps stretch and decompress the spine, relieving pain. 

Additionally, a chiropractor can recommend therapeutic exercises or certain types of massage that may help address your symptoms. Massage therapy goes hand-in-hand with chiropractic care– Chiropractic adjustments can be more effective when your muscles are relaxed. A chiropractor may also talk to you about nutrition, stress management, or other lifestyle changes that can help you maximize the benefits of your chiropractic adjustment and relieve symptoms of degenerative disc disease. In most cases, the earlier the stage of degenerative disc disease, the more successful treatment can be. However, chiropractic care can be extremely effective and beneficial even in the most extreme cases of degenerative disc disease.

As you can see, degenerative disc disease can be painful and even life-altering. Chiropractic care can help relieve and manage symptoms, as well as stop the progression of the deterioration of discs. If you have any further questions about degenerative disc disease or chiropractic care, feel free to reach out to us. I hope you found this article informative. If you or a loved one are suffering from any type of joint or back pain, you may benefit from chiropractic care. Consider reaching out to Lowcountry Chiropractic! We specialize in different chiropractic techniques, as well as both therapeutic and Swedish massage. Send us an email or give us a call and we’ll assess the situation and develop a long-term treatment plan to address your needs. We want to help you live a healthy and pain-free life– it’s what you deserve. As always, this is Dr. Bob and I have your back covered!
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Best Exercises For Back Pain

5/27/2022

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Hello, everyone! This is Dr. Bob Salamon with Lowcountry Chiropractic. As always, I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy! In my last post, we discussed arthritis and the ways it can be treated at home. Today, we’ll be talking about back pain and some of the best exercises that can help relieve symptoms. Approximately 16 million adults experience persistent or chronic back pain– That’s 8% of all adults. There are a variety of types and causes of back pain that we’ll be touching on today, as well as exercises that can be done at home to relieve symptoms. If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to stick around! Let’s get started.

With so many adults suffering from back pain, it is one of the most common reasons that people miss work or go to the doctor. This pain can range from muscle aches to a shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation. There are generally three types of back pain: acute, subacute, and chronic. Acute pain is defined as lasting less than 4 weeks, while subacute pain lasts 4 to 12 weeks, and chronic pain lasts more than 12 weeks. It can happen anywhere in the back and can even radiate down the leg. Sometimes, this pain can worsen when walking, standing, bending, or lifting. It is important to understand the anatomy of the back in order to understand back pain. Let’s take a closer look.

There are five regions of the spine, from top to bottom: Cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, ilia/sacrum, and coccyx. These regions work together to support the body and problems within any of these regions can cause pain. Additionally, there are other parts of the back and spine structures that can cause pain. Other parts of the back and spine include:

  • Spinal cord: A long, tube-like band of tissue that connects the brain to the lower back and carries nerve signals from the brain to the body. 
  • Vertebrae: A series of small bones stacked on top of one another to form the backbone and protect the spinal cord.
  • Intervertebral discs: Layers of cartilage that act as a cushion between the vertebrae.
  • Ligaments: Bands of flexible tissue that hold the vertebrae in place.
  • Tendons: Fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone.
  • Muscles: Soft tissues made up of fibers that support the spine and help you move.

Issues with any of these structures or parts of the back or spine can cause pain. Let’s take a look at some of the most common causes of back pain. 

  • Muscle or ligament strain: Strain occurs when fibers in a muscle or ligament begin to tear from being overstretched or overused. This can be due to repeated heavy lifting or using poor body mechanics to lift something heavy.
  • Bulging or ruptured discs: This is sometimes known as a “herniated disc”. If the cushion-like discs bulge or rupture, they can press on a nerve and cause pain. However, sometimes herniated discs cause no symptoms.
  • Arthritis: Some types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, can affect the lower back and cause pain. 
  • Osteoporosis: This is a condition in which the bones become weak and brittle. This can lead to fractures in the bones.

Anyone can suffer from back pain, but there are several factors that may put you more at risk. These factors include age, genetics, fitness level, and job-related factors such as lifting, pushing, or pulling. Underlying issues such as fibromyalgia can also cause back pain. Luckily, there are simple exercises that can help manage and relieve symptoms at home. Here are just a few of them!

Low-Impact Exercises

Low-impact exercise is gentler on the joints and muscles. One of the most well-known low-impact exercises is walking. Walking is one of the simplest exercises out there and is not only a great cardiovascular exercise, but it is also a great method for preventing and relieving back pain. However, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind in order to get the most out of your walk: Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, walk lightly on your feet, and practice good posture while walking. Stand up straight and tall, let your shoulders relax, and keep your chin parallel to the ground to reduce strain on the neck and back.

Another low-impact exercise is cycling, or bicycling. This is low-impact because it causes less strain than other types of exercise. Bicycling is considered a form of aerobic exercise, which is a type of cardiovascular conditioning– Better known as “cardio” exercise. Bicycling is a popular form of exercise among people with back pain because of how gentle it is on the spine. This can be done on a bicycle, stationary or upright bike, or recumbent bike. 

Water aerobics is also great for back pain. In fact, studies have shown that water exercise is great for the joints and muscles, because the buoyancy of the water supports the body’s weight and allows for a greater range of motion. 

Lying Lateral Leg Raises

This exercise can not only help minimize back pain but can also strengthen your hip abductor muscles. These muscles help support the pelvis when you are standing on one leg. This exercise involves lying down on one side and keeping your lower leg slightly bent on the ground. Raise the top of your leg without moving the rest of your body and draw your belly button in towards your spine to strengthen your core. Hold this position for 2 seconds and repeat 10 times, and then repeat on the other side. Perform 3 of these sets on each side.

Side Stretches

Utilizing light strength training can help keep back muscles strong, which is great since these muscles protect your spine. This can be done by using light weights. Simply stand in place and hold one weight at a time while reaching from your waist down the side of your body. You should stretch as far as you can without pain, and then slowly raise the weight back up. You can repeat this 10 times on each side. This exercise can be done without weights as well. 

Knee To Chest

This exercise is particularly good for the lower back. For this exercise, simply lie down on the floor, facing up. Bend your leg and bring it up to your chest while grasping your lower leg, and hold it for 5 to 10 seconds. Then, release, and repeat with the other leg and complete this sequence at least three times. This range-of-motion exercise is a great way to stretch the lower back muscles and develop flexibility. It is particularly beneficial for those with spinal arthritis.

These are just a few of the best exercises for managing and relieving back pain. Oftentimes, exercise works best in conjunction with chiropractic care. Sometimes, back pain can be caused by subluxations. Subluxations are partial dislocations of vertebrae within the spine that can cause interferences in how the brain and body communicates. Since each part of the vertebrae are in close proximity  to nerves, subluxations can also lead to neurological conditions due to pressure placed on these nerves. Some of the common symptoms of subluxations involve pain or swelling around a joint, limited mobility, or loss of range of motion. If you are interested in learning more about subluxations, I encourage you to check out my previous blog. 

Chiropractic care removes subluxations through spinal adjustments. By removing these interferences, the body can self-regulate and self-heal. This can eradicate a multitude of different types of pain, including back pain. Combining chiropractic care with exercises that are good for back pain can help further relieve and manage pain and help you achieve optimal results. I hope you found this article informative. If you or a loved one are suffering from any type of back pain, you may benefit from chiropractic care. Consider reaching out to Lowcountry Chiropractic! We specialize in different chiropractic techniques, as well as both therapeutic and Swedish massage. Send us an email or give us a call and we’ll assess the situation and develop a long-term treatment plan to address your needs. We want to help you live a pain-free life– It’s what you deserve. As always, this is Dr. Bob and I have your back covered!
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Minimizing Back Pain at Work

2/28/2022

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Hello, everyone! This is Dr. Bob Salamon with Lowcountry Chiropractic. As always, I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy! On my last blog, we discussed fibromyalgia, its symptoms, and potential treatments, including how chiropractic care can help. Today, we’ll be talking about how office workers can minimize back pain at work. Working at a desk for long periods of time is not uncommon these days, especially since many have made the transition to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent Gallup poll found that 45% of full-time employees were working partly or fully remotely in the U.S. in 2021. This likely means that a large percentage of the population is sitting for long periods. If you sit at a desk or at a computer for most of the day, these helpful tips can help minimize pain and discomfort. Let’s get started!

It is widely known that sitting for prolonged periods of time can cause back pain, particularly in the lower back. This can be due to a few factors. First, sitting is a “static” posture: this means that it lacks in action or change. This posture places stress on the back, shoulders, arms, and legs. Consequently, this can put pressure on the back muscles and spinal discs. Additionally, after sitting in a chair for too long, most people have a tendency to slouch, which can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the discs and surrounding structures of the spine. Bad posture can cause lower back pain, or make existing pain worse. This pain can be felt in the lower or upper back as well as the neck, from leaning forward to look at a computer screen or other device. 

Pain caused by long periods of sitting or bad posture can contribute to a person’s efficiency in their working environment, which is known as ergonomics. That being said, one of the key elements to workplace ergonomics is the office chair. It is important to find a chair that is not only comfortable but promotes good posture. Office chairs should be adjustable and customizable for each individual. A chair with adjustable seat height can be altered depending on the type of work being done, and depending on the person’s proportions. Seat width and depth is also important, in order to support the user comfortably. You should be able to comfortably rest your back against the backrest of the chair and support the natural curve of the spine. This is known as lumbar support. The lumbar spine has an inward curve and lack of support for this can lead to slouching. It is also important for an office chair to swivel, or easily rotate, so that the user can reach different areas of their desk without straining. If you feel that your chair is just not doing the job, consider investing in a new one– Your spine will thank you.

There are also a few important guidelines to follow to ensure the most comfortable position for your back. These include:

  • Elbow measure – Sit as close as possible to your desk, with your upper arms parallel to your spine. Then, rest your hands on your desktop or computer keyboard. Are your elbows at a 90-degree angle? If the answer is no, adjust your chair height up or down. 
  • Thigh measure – Check that you can easily slide your fingers under your thigh at the edge of the chair. Too tight? Prop your feet up with an adjustable footrest. If there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the chair, raise your desk so you can raise your chair.
  • Calf measure – With your buttocks pressed back against the chair, make a clenched fist and try to pass it between the back of your calf and the front of your chair. If you cannot do this easily, your chair is too deep. Adjust the backrest forward, insert a pillow or cushion behind your lower back, or get a new chair.
  • Lower back support – With your bottom against the back of the chair, there should be a cushion that causes your back to arch slightly to prevent slouching. This cushion can be built into the chair, a pillow or cushion, or even a rolled-up towel. 
  • Eye level – Sit comfortably with your head facing forward and close your eyes. Slowly open your eyes and see where your gaze is. It should be aimed at the center of your computer screen. If not, you’ll need to either raise or lower your screen. This will reduce strain on the upper spine.
  • Armrest – The armrest of your chair should slightly lift your arms at the shoulders. This allows you to take some strain off of your neck and shoulders. It can also prevent slouching. Your armrests are there for a reason; use them!

Even after you’ve checked all of the above guidelines off your list, there are still ways you can minimize back pain. A simple thing you can do is get up and stretch for a minute or two every half hour. If you need to, set an alarm or reminder on your phone to stretch. You can also take a short walk, perhaps across the office, or around your desk. Go to a doorway and place your hands on either side of the frame to stretch your shoulders. If your job involves talking on the phone a lot, consider using your speaker, headphones or earbuds, or getting a headset. Pinning your phone between your neck and shoulder while working can lead to stress on the back. 
Another simple exercise is to just breathe! Believe it or not, taking the time to breathe slowly in and out relaxes the muscles in your mid and lower back. By focusing on inhaling and exhaling, you may find that you unclench your jaw or release tension in other areas of the body. Breathing exercises also engage your core muscles. Meditation and yoga can also be helpful in relaxing the body overall, which can minimize back pain and discomfort. 

When you finish a long work day, the first thing you may feel like doing is sitting on the couch. However, taking a walk might be a better option– It provides your spine with a different position. Moving and stretching can keep your joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons loose, which will help keep you comfortable. It can also be helpful to exercise your core two or three times a week. Your core includes your abdominal, back, and pelvis muscles. There are plenty of core exercises to try, such as a sit-up or a plank. Find one that works best for you and try to incorporate it into your routine. Regular physical activity can make the back stronger. 

Another option to consider is a standing desk, which allows you to work while standing up. There are a variety of types, including “static” or “fixed” standing desks, which have a standard height, or adjustable standing desks, which allow you to adjust the height according to your needs. Standing desks have increased in popularity over the years as it was discovered that sitting for prolonged periods of time was not good for the body. The “sit-stand workstation” has also increased in popularity. This involves both sitting and standing up while working, and alternating between the two throughout the day, depending on your needs. A Stanford University study found that 78% of workers who utilize a sit-stand workstation were less likely to experience back pain.

If you are experiencing back pain, you can also consider heat therapy. This can be through a heating pad, hot water bottle, or even a hot bath or shower. Most forms of lower back pain involve muscle spasms, which can be soothed with heat. Heat can increase blood flow to the muscles and improve circulation, which can relieve tightness in the back and reduce pain. Applying heat to areas such as the lower back can also help stretch the soft tissues around the spine. This, in turn, can increase range of motion as well as decrease stiffness.  It is highly recommended to use cold therapy (gel bag, ice) after heat therapy to reduce the inflammation that heat therapy may cause. Massages and chiropractic care are also options for those suffering from lower back pain. Sometimes, a simple chiropractic adjustment, or spinal manipulation, can be the key to relieving back pain by removing interferences called vertebral subluxations, or pressure on the nerves. 

As you can see, working an office job or working from home can take a toll on your back. When sitting for prolonged periods of time, it is important to find the right office chair, as well as get adequate physical exercise. Stretching, heat therapy, cold therapy, and chiropractic care are all options to treat back pain. If you are looking for a simple way to treat lower back pain, consider reaching out to Lowcountry Chiropractic. Send us an email or give us a call and we’ll assess the situation and develop a long-term treatment plan to address your needs. We want to help you live a pain-free life– It’s what you deserve. As always, this is Dr. Bob and I have your back covered!
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How Your Back Ages

10/15/2021

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Hello, everyone! It’s Dr. Bob with Lowcountry Chiropractic. I hope all of you are doing well and staying safe! As we approach the end of fall and the beginning of winter, it’s almost time to give thanks for this year. Many of us don’t enjoy the prospect of growing older. We would rather keep turning the same age year after year. But growing older means growing wiser, too. Instead of succumbing to the stiffness and soreness associated with advanced age, I’m here to tell you there’s a reward for sticking to a healthy lifestyle and it’s not too late to start! When you take care of your body, your body takes care of you. And, while we cannot control some of the effects of aging, we can certainly do our part to slow down the process. My goal is for my patients to remain limber and spry into the later decades of their life, as this mobility adds to their quality of life. In today’s post, we’ll discuss what happens to the human spine over time, as well as a few ways you can help your back stay strong for many years to come. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, read on!

There are many reasons for chronic back pain. Pregnant women cite their baby bumps for not being able to sleep well, while others cite poor posture and spinal diseases. After a certain point however, many of us simply say, “I’m just getting old.” Age is considered the catch-all for a laundry list of ailments, but the truth is: There are plenty of sixty-year-olds who beat out thirty-year-olds in terms of mobility. How is that? 

First, we must understand what happens to our backs as we age. Similar to a car with hundreds of thousands of miles, our bodies accumulate wear and tear over the course of our lives. Consider the nights you spent struggling to sleep on a poor mattress, the heavy book bag you carried all through school, the pronounced slouch you took when working at your desk for hours. These habits take their toll after a while. 

The spine is composed of vertebrae--small bones which stack on top of one another--and discs--the jelly-centered in-between bits which absorb shock and keep our vertebrae from rubbing together as we move. Unfortunately, our discs are rubbed down throughout our lifetimes, resulting in pain from colliding vertebrae. Unlike tires on a car, these discs have no warranty. As the discs wear down, our spinal cord is compressed, putting pressure on the sixty-two nerves which branch off from our spine and causing pain. 

During our first ten years of life, discal degeneration begins. Minor tears and fissures in our spinal tissue can contribute to discal herniation (when the jelly-like interior of a disk slips through a crack in the hard outer shell), which is a precursor to radiculopathy (a pinched nerve root). Radiculopathy is common in young adults. 

Car accidents and their resulting whiplash, in addition to broken bones, can accelerate the formation of arthritis in the affected joints. Arthritis can then affect the junctions in our spine where our vertebrae meet, causing further irritation.

As we age, we struggle to absorb the necessary level of calcium and other vital nutrients, which results in weakened bones or osteoporosis. We become more prone to bone breaks and fractures. Osteoporosis can lead to bone remodeling and even rotatory deformities. A study in the Menopause Review found women experience a noted increase in back pain when undergoing perimenopause and menopause. Lower back pain is the most common health problem contributing to disability in older adults, with as many as 70% of those aged sixty-five and above reporting they suffer from LBP. All of these things contribute to the stark reality of many elderly, who live in near constant back pain, with limited mobility. 

Returning to the car analogy: How do you care for your vehicle to ensure you’ll be able to drive as many miles as possible, as comfortably as possible? Well, you change the oil. You buy the best grade of gas. You put air in the tires and fix minor issues as soon as they appear. In this way, you can be fairly sure your car puts out the maximum amount of mileage. In the same way, when you take care of your body, you can reduce (or slow) some of the degenerative effects of aging. 

One of the ways you can “take your body to the shop” is exercise. Research shows exercise is the reason certain older people experience less health problems as they age. In addition to girding the spine and staving off conditions like degenerative disc disease, exercise can help keep away a host of other ailments, including depression and anxiety. A study conducted to assess the effect of exercise on the elderly (who were already afflicted with lower back pain), yielded significant results. The conclusion was simple: “Strengthening exercise is a beneficial treatment for older people with LBP in reducing pain intensity, disability, and improved functional performances.” 

While you need not sign up for a gym membership, you’ll want to dedicate equal focus to strength training as you do to cardio. Exercises which target the core and back muscles will help support your spine in its everyday activities. Another study showed an eight-week flexibility training program was able to improve the range of motion of elderly women. If you aren’t sure where to begin or you have not been active for many months, start by stretching. As your muscles acclimate to daily use, you’ll start to crave further movement. As well, stretching can help prevent injuries once you do start exercising vigorously. 

Another key indicator of overall health is diet. Being overweight can contribute to back pain. According to a study conducted last year, those in the study with spinal pain had significantly poorer diets than those without. Those individuals with a healthy diet were 24% less likely to report spinal pain. Similarly, while fruit, whole grains, and dairy intake were associated with 20-26% lowered likelihood to experience chronic pain, added sugars in an individual’s diet were associated with a 49% increase in likelihood to experience chronic spinal pain. Without proper nutrients, structures within the body are unable to heal and restore themselves. Of course, a balanced diet will be recommended by any physician. However, if you aim to maintain a healthy spine, you’ll want to hone in on a few essential vitamins and minerals. 

The first of these essentials is calcium. Calcium is one of the means of ensuring bone mass into our old age. A deficiency in calcium is one of the main contributors to brittle, weak bones. Calcium can be found in dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheeses. Dark, leafy greens and oily, fatty fish are also great sources. Additionally, almonds, oranges, tofu, and black strap molasses can help you reach your daily calcium intake goal. To absorb calcium, your body also needs vitamin D. Usually, these two supplements are paired together to ensure proper absorption. However, vitamin D can also be found in egg yolks, canned salmon with bones, and sunlight.

Calcium alone does not produce strong bones. To gain strong bones, you’ll also need magnesium. Magnesium is responsible for facilitating over 300 biochemical reactions within the body, as well as helping to form the matrix of our bones. Unfortunately, if this necessary magnesium cannot be found in our blood, our body will steal the mineral from our bones. If you are deficient in magnesium, you may experience cramps or muscle spasms often. The muscles which support and hold the spine are also susceptible to this tension. Seek magnesium in dark greens, dark chocolate, bananas, avocados, cashews, Brazil nuts, whole grains, and supplements. 

Finally, there’s the benefits of seeking regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic care can treat chronic conditions and pain, but its uses are better served in preventing chronic conditions and pain. When left untreated, subluxations within the spine can worsen and disrupt our quality of life. When left for long periods--years and decades--these subluxations become limitations in movement and pain points. 

Aging isn’t linear. It doesn’t happen all at once, either. Instead, numerous factors play into how someone ages, including: stress, diet, sleep, environment, socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, and more. Having access to chiropractic care, which was specifically created to care for the spine, surely impacts the aging process of those receiving treatment. Since the spine houses so many essential nerves, its health is a fundamental prerequisite for the health of the rest of the body. Regular chiropractic care is associated with lower levels of pain, especially pain related to the neck and back. Not only can chiropractic care help alleviate back pain in elderly patients, it can assist in maintaining the mobility of younger spines, as well.
These tips are for those who take their long-term health seriously and would like to be able to continue flipping cartwheels into their old age. (Or, learn how to flip cartwheels in their old age.) There’s no rule in any book which says older individuals must live with back pain and lessened mobility. We here at Lowcountry Chiropractic are here to help. Send us a quick email or a phone call and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. It’s my job to perform a thorough analysis of your situation and develop a plan for ensuring you garner as many “miles” as possible from your back. I hope this information was helpful to you! I look forward to seeing you and remember: I’m Dr. Bob and I have your back covered!
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What You Need To Know About Referred Pain

6/29/2021

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Welcome readers! Dr. Bob and the rest of our team hope you’re doing well and living your life to the fullest! If you’re not, and if that may be because of pain or discomfort, we’re ready to give you two words that may change your health outlook: Referred Pain. 

Referred pain is whenever you feel pain or discomfort in areas of your body that’s actually originating from a different source elsewhere in your body! Referred pain can be caused by a wide variety of things, but we like to look at it as one of the many ways our bodies communicate with us! A couple examples of referred pain can be a heart attack that triggers pain in your jaw, or an injured organ causing you pain in your back. Isn’t that fascinating?

To put it plainly, referred pain occurs because the nerves within the human body are all connected. The human nervous system is one of the most elaborate, complex aspects of our bodies, and because of it we are all able to experience the world around us in different ways. Your nerves are what help you interact and communicate with your environment, by letting you know when a pot is too hot, when the weather outside is about to turn, or if someone bumps your shoulder as you pass. So how does all of this connect to chiropractic care?

One of the main parts of the nervous system, the central nervous system, is housed by our spines! The human brain and spinal cord are known as the central nervous system and that is essentially the command center for the human body overall. From the central nervous system, your peripheral nervous system and autonomic nervous system connect and tangle throughout the body like winding rivers or roots. These nerves are so delicate and numerous that if the adult nervous system in its entirety was to be stretched out, it could reach up to 100,000 miles! 

As the spine protects the spinal cord, there are spaces in between the spines’ vertebrae that allow nerves to reach out around your back. Do you remember our previous blogs and videos discussing subluxations? When a vertebrae presses or pinches down on a nerve, the result can be pain and discomfort and this is known as a subluxation! The purpose of chiropractic care is to correct and reset subluxations by adjusting the vertebrae to get off those pinched nerves. 

As nerves spread throughout your body and help communicate all kinds of stimuli back to your brain, your brain communicates ‘back’ by making you feel pain or discomfort when something goes wrong. Have you ever heard about how whenever people get in car accidents they have different levels of pain or injury based on their level of awareness during the incident? It’s truly interesting; people who are aware they are about to be in an accident tend to ‘tense up’ as a response from the brain letting them know the impact is coming, but those who are unaware have no visual stimuli response and their muscles are more relaxed during the accident. The more tension that resided in the muscles before and during the accident, the higher likelihood of experiencing injury! You may not be aware of this, but your nervous system operates at an unprecedented speed. The amount of time it takes for you to see a car coming, realize it’s going to hit you, and either react or prepare for impact can all take place in portions of a second. We wanted to share this with you because not only is it an amazing feature of our bodies, but it explains so much in relation to chiropractic care and maintenance.

As amazing as it is in the many connections and structure, the human body is imperfect and requires regular care and maintenance. Chiropractic care is most effective with regular treatments to keep adjustments’ in place despite our day-to-day activities. Subluxations can occur with even the slightest movements, such as getting in or out of your car, stepping down stairs, reaching up high for something, playing a sport or exercising! The really miraculous thing about the spine and the nervous system though is that if you’re experiencing a subluxation, your nerves may communicate that pinching by ‘enabling’ pain in related parts of your body! Referred pain can be traced along specific nerve paths to specific areas of the body; some nerve paths connect directly to your ankles and feet, whereas others flow down to your wrists and fingertips for example.

Dr. Bob has knowledge about what kind of pain or discomfort displays itself through referred pain based on the different vertebrae in the spine! If you’d like to learn more about a few examples of this, we recommend you follow the link below to one of our recent Facebook videos where Dr.Bob discusses referred pain and how it connects to chiropractic care!


If you’re experiencing discomfort that you’re not able to find a solution for, it may be time to turn to chiropractic care! Dr. Bob would love to see you and help you feel well again; all you have to do is reach out to us to set up your first appointment!

We look forward to helping you heal, and we’ve got your back covered. Take care!
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Helpful Stretches for a Healthy Back!

5/3/2021

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Today I will be discussing a handful of easy to do and very important stretches to help keep you limber and healthy between your chiropractic appointments! 

Hey everybody! It's Dr.Bob here with Lowcountry Chiropractic with another exciting blog dedicated to your body and your lower back. I hope everyone is staying safe and well out there. Today, we are going to be talking about stretches dedicated to the lower back and the lower part of your body. A lot of patients come in with complaints about lower back pain, stiffness, tenderness, and other similar issues.  I will be discussing some very simple and effective stretches today that everyone can do to help with this kind of pain, no matter if you're working at home on your computer, on a construction site, or in a traditional office setting. If you add these stretches into your life every day, they can help save you and prevent you from injury. These stretches help if you have a job that requires you to lift heavy things. One thing I will say though before we get into today's blog, these stretches are not a substitute for chiropractic care. Chiropractic care and stretches are two different things. Stretches are meant to elongate your muscles and keep them toned and loose so they don't seize up and pull the vertebrae out, irritate the nerve, and cause a subluxation. If you have a subluxation, the stretches aren't going to fix the subluxation, which is what I'm here for! 

I want to give you four main stretches to use every day. These are stretches that I give to my patients all the time. The first needs to be done in the morning before you get out of bed. This is especially for my readers who wake up very stiff in the morning and it takes time to straighten up and out of bed before you can get moving for the day. This stretch is wonderful, so I recommend you giving it a chance and see how your body improves over time when adding it into your schedule! 
  • You need to begin by laying on your back. 
  • Your knees will be pulled up towards the ceiling with your feet flat on the mattress.
  • Your head will need to be resting on your pillow.
  • Take both hands and grab one of your knees and pull it into your chest and hold it there for about ten seconds, or longer if you want.
  • Keep your other leg up, do not straighten it out. Straightening it out will put a tremendous amount of stress on your lower back.
  • Once you've held one knee for at least ten seconds, switch to hold the other knee. 
  • Once you've done each knee by itself, you are going to pull both knees up to your chest and hold them there for at least ten seconds. I like to cross my ankles when I do so. 
  • When you're holding both of your knees, you want to pull them into your chest as best as you can to get the best stretch out of this position as possible.
  • Please remember when you're doing this, that you want to think about what you're trying to accomplish with this particular stretch. Your lumbar spine has a natural curve to it. Most injuries occur because of stress at the back of the disc or the back of the bone. So, you never really want to extend and rotate when you stretch because that movement can hurt you. This movement closes the spacing in between the bones in the back, pinching things down. All of the exercises we will be talking about today are flexion exercises, which means you're bending forward which opens up the back discs, lets all of your spinal fluid flow freely, and stretches your muscles at the same time. I would recommend doing this particular stretch four or five times in a row, a set is holding each knee once and pulling both knees in your chest.
  • This stretch is also great to do when you get home from work or when you get done for the day if you're working from home, and also great when you go to bed at night! 

This second stretch is for people who sit a lot. There are a lot of people out there who sit for hours during the workday, which can be particularly hard on the body. You should be doing this particular stretch every half hour or so, maybe even more. Don't just sit in the same position all day hunched over your desk and your computer. When you sit there for hours, everything begins to tighten up. Gravity settles down into your discs and it's not a healthy situation. So, what can you do? Very simple! Stretch! 
  • Get into a comfortable seated position, sitting upright with your feet on the floor.
  • Reach down and touch your toes and let your body hang out there for a bit, letting gravity do its thing. 
  • Sometimes I take a deep breath while I'm leaning over and touching my toes, and then blow out. This will give you an added moment of relaxation. 
  • Hang out in this position for about ten seconds, or more if you choose.
  • Once you do this, stretch to either your right or left side while you're still leaning over. This will stretch the opposite side of your back that you're leaning away from.
  • Once you've stretched in one direction, switch to the other side.
  • Take this stretch nice and slow, and please do not bounce your body while leaning over or moving from either side.
  • Leaning forward and to both sides is one set for this stretch, and you will want to repeat this stretch four or five times.

This third stretch is my favorite! I do it before and after I go to the gym, before and after I run, and I do it before and after I need to lift something heavy. This is a perfect stretch for anyone out there in the construction field who is lifting anything heavy. Please make sure to do this stretch along with all the stretches we've talked about today. If you add all of the stretches we will be talking about today into your routine, you're going to prevent a lot of bad injuries. If your muscles are looser and then you put weight on them, they're going to handle it a lot better compared to if they were wound up and tight. You can do this next stretch multiple ways, either by leaning onto a desk or chair or carefully balancing without one. 
  • If you don't have a chair or desk to hold onto, carefully get into a squat position. 
  • Bend down and let yourself hang there between your legs. Gravity is going to take over when you do this. You're not doing a lot of work, you're just going to be hanging out and letting your body be stretched by gravity. 
  • Hold this position for about ten seconds. 
  • After this first ten seconds, lean to either your right or left side and stretch it out. Once you lean to one side, lean to the other. 
  • Repeat this whole process at least 4 to 5 times! 
  • If you have a desk or something to hold onto to do this stretch, you can change up your stretch a bit. Hold onto the piece of furniture and lean back into your squat and then stretch your body forward. It is a very similar stretch, but you will just get a deep stretch that you can control by leaning onto a piece of furniture.

Stretch number four is a stretch called a child's pose. The child's pose is a yoga stretch. Some of you may be familiar with this, and if you are, you know what a wonderful stretch this is! 
  • First, you need to get down on your hands and knees. 
  • Sit back into your knees, you're going to try and touch your rear end to your feet.
  • While keeping your rear end and feet touching, you want to move the rest of your body down and as close to the ground as you can get it, with your arms straight out in front of you.
  • Elongate your body once you reach this position. 
  • Hold this position for at least ten seconds.
  • After this first ten-second hold, bring one arm in and keep the other stretched out in front of you. This stretches the muscles from your armpit down to your waist. 
  • After holding in one arm for ten seconds, switch with the other arm. 
  • After going through these steps, you'll want to repeat the process another 4 to 5 times. 

These four stretches are amazing for your lower back. While we are talking stretches today, I want to give you a few more simple stretches to add to your everyday life to help stretch out your piriformis muscles. The sciatic nerve goes through the piriformis muscles, so sometimes it is easy to blame sciatic pain on your lower back when it is coming from the piriformis muscles. When this happens, your piriformis muscle has tightened up and is squeezing that sciatic nerve, and that is not good! These next two stretches are to help you work on your piriformis and your psoas muscles, which are your hip flexors. The hip flexors are attached to the front of your hips and back in your lumbar spine. Sometimes you can get lower back pain and it's actually related to your psoas being tight. To stretch your piriformis muscles: 
  • Lay on your back with your knees pulled in and your heels on the ground. 
  • Take one leg and pull it up, putting your ankle of one leg on the knee of another, making a triangle shape with both legs. 
  • Reach in between your legs, and grab the back of your knee, and pull it towards you. 
  • This action will stretch the muscles of the opposite side that you're pulling on.
  • To stretch even more of your muscles, your going to take the opposite arm of the leg that's up and over your knee, and pull it towards that side, while the hand of the leg that is up will be laying at your side to steady you. 
  • Do this on both sides of your body! The tighter side is the one that you will want to spend more time stretching. 

You can stretch your psoas muscles in many different ways, but today I am just going to give you a few options on how to stretch them. 
  • Sit up in a chair with one leg crossed over your knee, with your ankle sitting on top of that knee. 
  • Keep your back very straight and you are going to push down on the knee of the leg that is crossed. Push it into the floor.
  • Do this for ten seconds on both sides a few times. The side that is feeling tighter needs to be stretched longer. 
  • You can also stretch the psoas by getting into a lunge position.
  • Once you're in the lunge position, lean forward and right into the floor with the leg that is in front. 
  • Keep your back very straight when you do this, do not arch your back! 
  • Do this with both legs at least 4 to 5 times! 

All of these stretches are good basic. every day, effective stretches. They are effective if you keep up with them and make time for them in your busy schedule. if you don't do them every day, they won't help you as much as they could. Now that you have this blog as a reference point, there aren't any excuses not to do them. However, let me reiterate, these are stretches. This is not self-prescribed chiropractic care. These stretches will help you, but if you have a subluxation in your spine, you won't be able to stretch it out. When you have a subluxation, that is when you need to call me! If you're suffering out there and you need relief from the pain in your lower back, are experiencing sciatic pain or other pain, make sure to look us up, come find us, and we will be happy to help you in every way we can! I'm Dr. Bob, and remember, I've got your back covered! Until next time, take care! 
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What Are The Positive Effects of Chiropractic Care on Children?

3/3/2021

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Chiropractic care is an excellent form of care for everyone at every age! Today we're going to be talking about chiropractic care for children! 

Welcome back to the blog, readers! I'm Dr. Bob Salamon with Lowcountry Chiropractic! I hope you are all doing well out there, and that you're staying healthy and safe! Today we are going to be expanding on the idea that chiropractic care is beneficial for everyone at every stage in their lives. We've recently talked about the many benefits that chiropractic care offers to the elderly, and today we are going to turn the tables and talk about the benefits of chiropractic care for our children and younger generations. While their bodies are growing and developing, who better to have their brain function and their immune systems strengthened with chiropractic care than our children? 

When it comes to the goal of any chiropractor, it comes down to going beyond fixing the many ailments that can be connected to poor alignment and a subluxation. We care for your back, which is connected to the nervous system and your brain. The brain controls every operation in our bodies. While we are thrilled that chiropractic care can help so many different things, our goal is to ensure that the body's nervous system has every chance to work as efficiently and effectively as it can! 

CHILDREN AND CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Many might think children don't need chiropractic care. Their bodies are brand new, healthy, and they haven't had to carry the weight and stress that adulthood and time can bring. While this is true, even before they're born, children can experience stress on their nervous system. These nerve irritations or subluxations are a part of everyday life. You've watched a child learning how to roll themselves over, hold up their heads for the first time, learn how to walk, and take their first stumbles and falls. Imagine the stress that puts on their developing nervous system. Subluxations can occur from bad posture, sleeping on their tummies, remaining in one position for a prolonged period, knocks and falls, and much more. Stress can be put on the nervous system before a child is even born. This can happen due to being in an award position in the uterus, restriction of movement, or birth complications like fast or very slow labor or cesarean delivery. 

We all know the importance of a healthy back and nervous system that chiropractic care can deliver, and we know that children deserve this care just as much as adults! Introducing chiropractic care to children at a young age can put them on a course of having a very healthy lifestyle. While many still might believe that chiropractic care is only for adults, it can be even more important for a chiropractor to care for and check on your children due to spurts of rapid growth, changes in their bodies, and development. Also know that chiropractic care for children, while it might be a new idea for some parents, it is not a new idea overall and has been around for some time. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), many parents have feared how their children would respond to treatments and if they were safe. Over the years, many health professionals have sided with these parents. At the same time, doctors of chiropractic have been spending years trying to teach and assure parents that treatments are safe. Any injury or pain resulting from a chiropractic treatment was connected to underlying pathologies. Thanks to these studies and years of hard work, more parents and health professionals have gotten on board with chiropractic care. 

It is recommended that chiropractors do a very thorough examination and speak with parents about their medical history and their child's before treatment begins. Also, just like I mentioned in my previous blog about elderly chiropractic care, an infant would never receive the same kind of care that an adult would. Their treatment would be adjusted to their needs and age to promote the utmost safety and care! Also, don't forget that chiropractic care is non-invasive and its foundations are based on effective and gentle adjustment techniques that are safe and have been well tested. Remember my blog late last year where I discussed the many myths chiropractors have to constantly disprove? The biggest one is that chiropractors are not real doctors. We busted that myth! Your child's care and health are very important and will be in very confident hands any time they are in a chiropractor's office. 

THE BASICS
What do you remember about your childhood? Before every smart device took over, we were outside running, jumping, climbing, swinging, and playing every game and sport we could think of. This also meant a lot of stumbles, falls, and accidents. They're still learning, still understanding their balance and coordination, and they haven't fallen enough yet to understand the full consequences of their actions. Their bodies respond to these incidents and can carry and hold tension and subluxations just like an adult's body. Chiropractic care can help realign their spine and joints, which is incredibly important as a child grows. These subluxations, remember, can get in the way of the brain functioning and communicating to the body as it should. In a body that is growing and changing every day, they need these connections and communications to make sure the best decisions are made for their health and development. Also, remember that chiropractic care is an excellent way to avoid the use of over-the-counter or prescription medications. According to the ACA, one of the most common reasons why parents take their children to a chiropractor is to help with the care and management of chronic ear infections, instead of them taking a plethora of antibiotics. 

GROWING BODIES
Children and adults have the same joints, but they aren't fully formed in a child's body right away. Due to this, as I mentioned above, treatment will be specifically tailored to their little bodies. The adjustments will be done faster and with much less force, due to their increased flexibility in the developing joints and that they are much smaller. Instead of manipulating joints as chiropractic care can do for adult bodies, chiropractic care helps mobilize the joints in a child's body. When it comes to infants and in utero, it's even more tailored. For babies, many common issues include sleep problems, issues with nursing, colic, torticollis, and plagiocephaly. Chiropractic care has shown drastic improvement with each of these issues, along with helping or preventing any long-term effects.

In utero, treatments can help prevent any sort of constraint. If the baby moves in a certain way, they can remain in that one position for several months. Wouldn't that be uncomfortable for you too? According to the ACA, "the goal of treatments is to restore motion to the joints and balance the tissues to keep everything as biomechanically even as possible. Taking the tension off from day one can help allow for optimal growth and development." 

TOP REASONS AND BENEFITS OF TAKING YOUR CHILD TO A CHIROPRACTOR 
  • Overall Healthy Living
As I've mentioned, chiropractic care is plays a huge role in keeping the neck and spine aligned, which helps clear the neural pathways. This will help the brain and the whole body function as it should. It can also help with better posture. It can help as children begin to move, crawl, and walk and to help them recover from slips and falls. It will also help them build a strong immune system from day one! 
  • Breastfeeding
The birth process can be very difficult on a baby, leaving them with trauma and stress on their spine, shoulders, or neck which can make breastfeeding very difficult and painful for them. It can also make latching onto the breast very difficult. Chiropractic care can remove this stress to help make the process less painful and less stressful. It can also help reduce acid reflux! 
  • Common Maladies and Development
Helping a child's nervous system grow properly with the use of chiropractic care can help their whole bodies develop as they should. It can help prevent ear infections, asthma, allergies, constipation, colic, can help with the common cold, and can even help with bedwetting. Chiropractic care will help with nerve and brain development and encourage them to be as healthy as possible. It can help with ADHD and ADD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. It can also help with behavior disorders and help promote emotional well-being and concentration. Learning, sensory development, and tactile learning can also be drastically improved with chiropractic care! 
  • Bumps, Bruises, and Nighttime Care
If your child has issues sleeping at night or sleeping through the night as they begin sleep training, chiropractic care can be the missing piece in fighting these difficulties! They might not be sleeping well due to pain caused by a subluxation or their body being out of alignment. Chiropractic care can also assist in minimizing injuries, which our little ones are at the risk of experiencing. It can help keep their little joints and ligaments strong and it can help them comfortably transition from crawling to walking. When they do fall at this young age, these little bumps and falls can lead to small traumas that can cause subluxations and stress that could lead to long-term health issues or issues later down the line. Chiropractic can help remove these issues and prevent health problems from appearing later in life! 

Your child's health is in your hands while they are growing and learning! I hope this blog helped explain why chiropractic care is so beneficial for children and to assure you that it is safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. If you would like to talk about your child's chiropractic care, please reach out as well! Until next time I'm Dr. Bob and I've got your back covered! 

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A Safe and Healthy New Year; Tips and Tricks from Dr. Bob

1/19/2021

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A brand new year is here! I want to share some of the best tips you can do for your body to keep healthy and happy in 2021! 

Hello everyone! It's Dr. Bob Salamon with Lowcountry Chiropractic. Welcome back to the blog and a very Happy New Year to you! I hope you're staying safe and well out there, and I hope you're taking care of yourselves! Welcome to 2021! I think we are all very happy to see it here, and we are all happy to get out of last year and all of its craziness. With a new year comes resolutions to work out, eat better, and be healthier overall, right? Sadly, these resolutions usually only last for a short time. In honor of that and in honor of 2021, I want to help you achieve your goals. So, I wanted to share a list of things with you that you'll be able to stick with and make part of your everyday life, to make sure this year and beyond are the healthiest they can be. If you do everything on this list that you're about to read, you will get healthier without question. It's a simple list, but I won't lie to you; it won't be easy. Each of the listed items takes effort on your part to incorporate them into your lifestyle. I personally have nothing to do with this list, outside of providing it for you, except for the last point we will talk about today. Let's kick off this new year and jump into this list to start on a healthier and happier you! 

#1 Go Green! 
I'm not talking about saving the earth, I'm not talking about saving trees from getting cut down, and I'm not talking about global warming. I am talking about eating healthy and eating green things. Some of the best ways to eat green are by eating things like salads, fruits, and vegetables. It's not only about eating green things but also about eating multicolored things. They call this kind of diet "eating the rainbow" because those are the things that have a lot of phytonutrients and antioxidants in them like berries, nuts, peppers, romaine lettuce, and much more. I eat a lot of my green food raw. I eat salads a lot, but at night I'll have a piece of fish with green beans and the green beans will be raw, because when you cook food it tends to remove the nutrients from it. When I say "go green" I really mean that you need to get away from eating food that's white or brown, and you need to eat colorful things that come out of the ground or grow on trees. Eating this way will help you become much healthier! Another reason to eat green is that they are alkaline in nature and not acidic. You'll find acidic elements in starches, bread, pasta, candy, and sweets. Fruits and veggies will make your body more alkaline. This is so important because diseases like cancer thrive in an acidic environment, and you don't want that! 

#2 Refine Your Life! 
What do I mean by this? I'm talking about refined sugars. You want to try to eliminate eating foods that have unnaturally occurring sugars in them and replace them with foods that only have natural sugars. Unfortunately, almost all the products you see on the shelves of a grocery store have a ton of refined sugars in them. Why do we want to avoid refined sugars? There are a lot of reasons, but the two most important are as follows:
  • When sugar is not metabolized by your body, it gets stored as fat in your tissues and organs.  This is obviously not a good thing.  Eating refined sugars at night is worse since your body does not have time to metabolize them.
  • Most importantly, sugar creates inflammation in your body. Inflammation can lead to a lot of problems with your organs, glands, blood vessels and joints. Inflammation in your joints can lead to arthritis and pain.

#3 Get a Supplemental Plan! 
I'm not talking about a medicare supplement for insurance.  I'm talking about health supplements to the foods that you eat. We are not going to get 100% of everything we need from the food that we eat every day. To help with this, you want to try and supplement your intake with various items. I take Juice Plus+, which is whole foods in capsules. If I'm not getting 100% of all my fruits, vegetables, and berries every day this supplement helps to bridge the gap between what I am eating and what I should be eating for a healthy body. In terms of supplementation, I take fish oil and coconut oil which are huge anti-inflammatories. You might want to consider adding one or more into your diet. Another supplement you should look into adding that I always talk about is vitamin D3. It is an extremely great and inexpensive supplement to boost your immune system. Boosting your immune system is so important when we are already dealing with COVID, the flu season, and more. You want your immune system to be working at 100% so it can defend itself against some of these dangerous things that are out there. I recommend most people take between 3000 to 5000 IUs of D3. I'm taking 10,000 right now during the pandemic. I will say that I haven't felt anything in terms of a sniffle or a sore throat since this pandemic has started, so I know it's doing something good for me! 

#4 Don't Be a Couch Potato! 
We've had a lot of couch potatoes in 2020 and so far into 2021 because a lot more people are working from home and they're not as active as they should be! You need to incorporate exercise into your routine. You need to add not only cardiovascular exercises like running, walking, swimming, or biking, but you also need to add in cross-training with weights, high-intensity interval training, and more to trick your body (in a good way!) to keep improving. If you do the same workout every time, your body gets lazy. You have to mix it up, which is why I do Crossfit.  Every class is different, incorporating different body parts every session. Don't be a couch potato!  You have to get up and start a habit. It takes three weeks to make or break a habit, so let's do this! 

#5 Rest and Relax! 
This means getting enough sleep every night, and that means at least 7-8 hours, which is recommended by the experts. The primary reason to get enough sleep is that during your REM stage of sleeping, your body is taking the time to repair itself from all the work you've done throughout the day. The neurons, synapses, the coverings and linings of your organs, your blood vessels, and your whole body heals and repairs itself when you're sleeping. 

#6 Don't Worry - Be Happy! 
What does this mean? Experts say about 95% of what we worry about is either really not important or is never going to happen, so we really shouldn't be worrying about them. We spend too much time worrying about things that aren't going to occur or even impact us. What I would challenge you to do this year is to take a more positive approach to life if you're not already. Try to look at the glass as being half full instead of half empty, and look at the blessings you have in your life instead of the negative things. Put a list together if you have to, but we all have many things we can be grateful for in life. This can give you a little joy and optimism as you go through this year. 

#7 Get Connected
This is the one thing on the list that you need me for! I'm not talking about getting connected on social media (shoutout to Creative Consulting for doing an amazing job!). No, this is getting your brain and body to talk to one another. This is the only way your body is going to stay optimally healthy. There is a little thing called the spinal cord that connects the brain to all of your body parts, along with the nerves that go out from your spinal cord. If you don't take care of your spinal cord and the spinal nerves, your brain (which makes all of your body's decisions and sends out all the messages out to your body) will be sending those messages out, but they will reach their destinations improperly. So, the body is not going to be effectively doing the work that the brain wants it to. Also, if those nerves aren't working properly, the body can't communicate back to the brain. The brain will then not know what decisions it should really be making.

How do you keep this connection working properly between your brain and your body? Go to a chiropractor! I am trained to remove subluxations of the spine, which are conditions where the vertebrae are irritating a spinal nerve and interfering up the conduction of mental, electrical and chemical impulses from the brain to the body. I and my fellow chiropractors are trained to remove those subluxations from your body and allow your brain and body to communicate as they should! It's amazing what benefits you'll see when your body is free from subluxations. By removing subluxations, your body can experience: 
  • Pain reduction/elimination including headache resolution
  • Resolution of acid reflux
  • Reduction of sinus issues
  • Strengthening of your immune system
  • Sleeping better
  • Having better respiratory healthy
  • Having better digestive health
  • Eliminating or controlling diabetes and high blood pressure without lots of medication
  • Restoring energy levels
  • Reduction of insomnia
  • And much more! 
Remember these issues can be helped without the use of dangerous medications that alway have side effects. There is so much that goes hand in hand with chiropractic care because the nerves that come out of your spine do everything and control every function of your body. This is how you get connected! If you need to get connected, you know who to call or email - it's me! Dr. Bob Salamon! 

I don't want you to stress out and think that you have to do this list perfectly. You just need to follow it fairly well, because if you're not doing any of them and you implement even some of  them into your life, you'll see a huge improvement in your health this year. You'll lose the weight that you want to lose, you'll build muscle mass, you'll sleep better, you'll have more energy, you'll have better focus, and you won't get sick as often. The real important thing on this list, outside of the essential chiropractic care, is nutrition. Nutrition is the most important thing you can do for yourself in 2021, but of course, I want you to do this whole list! 

I hope this helps and gives you a little encouragement for the new year. This is going to be a better year for you but you have to want to make it better! ! If you need any help with the items on this list, we do offer consultation on each of these topics. Come see me, call me, or email me to get started. Remember, I am Dr. Bob and I've got your back covered. See you next time, readers. Stay safe out there and Happy New Year!  


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A Healthy Chiropractic Holiday with Dr. Bob!

12/24/2020

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As we are all preparing for a happy holiday, I wanted to share with you a few tips and ideas on how to stay healthy and safe through all of your holiday events and plans!
​

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the blog! It's Dr. Bob Salamon here with Lowcountry Chiropractic! I hope you all are doing well out there, and hope that you're staying healthy and well. I know it doesn't really feel like winter yet here in Charleston, but during these last few weeks of 2020
make sure to prepare yourself for cold and flu season, for the seasons to drastically change at the drop of a hat, and make plans to keep yourself healthy! Remember that your health is in your hands; why not improve your health journey now as we embark on a new year? Make time for chiropractic care, make time for exercising, getting plenty of sleep, eat well, and drink plenty of water. The holidays can make it easy to forget all about these important things, but give yourself the gift of your best health yet. You deserve it after 2020 and all of its challenges, so go ahead and give yourself this gift! I am here to help you along the way, so please don't hesitate to reach out and give us a call. I am always excited to be a part of your health journey and to help you feel your best.

I do want to take the time to thank everyone who was a part of this year's holiday promotion! From
all of us at Lowcountry Chiropractic, thank you so much for participating and helping us give back to
our community. Thank you for donating all of your nonperishable food items to the Lowcountry Food
Bank, and ensuring that Christmas and the holidays for so many of our neighbors will be happy. You
helped so many families have plenty of food this time of year, and you helped them stay healthy and
safe. That is truly an incredible gift. It was also wonderful to see so many returning patients, meet
new patients, and to experience the holiday season with our holiday promotion with you! Congratulations to all of the winners of our contest, I hope you enjoy your prizes! Thank you again for
joining us in giving back this year. Every little bit always helps!

As a little gift from me to all of you, I wanted to give you a little checklist of things to help keep you
healthy, safe and feeling your best during the holiday season. You might not even realize it, but the
holidays can do more damage to your body than you think possible. It can be the most wonderful
time of the year to spend with your loved ones and celebrate, but it can leave your body tired, sore,
and with new painful, difficult subluxations. Remember too that this holiday season will be different
than the rest. Please make safe decisions when gathering, celebrating, and having holiday parties.
Be safe, be happy, and be merry! Also, make sure to take this checklist to heart. You are giving so
much to others this holiday season, so make sure to take these few extra steps to give back to your
body. Your back will really appreciate not going into 2021 with new subluxations!

● Eat well during the holidays! Don't forget the rainbow this time of year! While all of our favorite salty and sugary treats will be constantly around us, (safe) gatherings with your loved ones will mean all kinds of fun dishes, and the draw of eating out or getting takeout will be plentiful. Try and remember to eat the rainbow and maintain your healthy diet as much as possible. Eat your green leafy veggies, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Remember to keep up with eating all the foods I've talked about in the past that help prevent and eliminate inflammation.
● Make sure to stay active this holiday season, and include the whole family in your activities. Chilly weather can cause muscles and tendons to get cold when you're working out, so please make sure to properly warm-up and cool down, stretch, and drink plenty of water. Make sure to keep up with getting plenty of rest. Take advantage of any time off and get caught up on your rest and relaxation. Remember, even though rest is important, moderation is still key. Make sure you keep up with your chiropractic visits too. If you haven't added chiropractic care into your healthy lifestyle, make sure to do so! Right now is the perfect time to get started with us to kick off a bright and healthy new year.
● Be very cautious when decorating! While we all want to be the Griswold's, heavy lifting and time spent in awkward angles on a ladder can do some serious damage to your back! Make sure to lift your Christmas trees, boxes of decorations, and lights properly. When lifting these items, make sure to lift with your legs and knees and not your back. If you feel a little bentout of shape after you decorate, come see me to make sure everything is properly aligned and that there are no new subluxations that have appeared!
● Even before the 2020 pandemic, I would stress to my patients to continue to wash their hands frequently. Now I encourage it more than ever. I know you've been asked to wash your hands a lot this year, but please keep it up! Don't forget to add vitamin D3 to your healthy regimen too. This important supplement can help strengthen your immune system and help fight off any sickness trying to get into your body!
● Remember to enjoy all of your favorite holiday drinks, dishes, snacks, and goodies in moderation. This includes long movie days, Netflix binges, long afternoons spent reading, and long days shopping out at the malls or on your couch online. Make sure to take a moment to rest, moments to get up and stretch and moments to stay active with each of these activities.
● Give yourself breaks from long drives if you are planning on traveling, and plan ways to avoid eating tons of fast food while out and about.
● Just like you prepare for guests, try and stay ahead with everything in your life during the holidays! Prepare healthy meals to enjoy ahead of time so you aren't tempted to eat out.
● Plan activities with your loved ones that don't center around food. Planning a walk with your guests is a great way to get started with this!
● If you are traveling this year and you have a long drive ahead of you, take a lower lumbar pillow with you to relieve some of the stress and pressure that can build up on your lower back.
● Don't drive straight through to your holiday destination. Make plans to stop and stretch and walk around a little bit every couple of hours.
● While it might be tempting to lounge during these long drives, make sure to maintain the best posture that you can while you're driving.
● If you're a passenger during these long holiday trips, make sure to give yourself a break from scrolling through your phone and reading. Looking down for long periods can put a lot of pressure on your neck, leading to headaches or shoulder aches. Make sure to give yourself some device-free time!

I want your holidays to be as wonderful as you are planning them to be. What will help this become a reality is considering this list and taking control of your health. Let this holiday be the reason for the season, a time to give back to others, a time spent with your loved ones, and the time you take control of your health. Thank you, again for being a part of our holiday promotion everyone! I also want to take a moment and thank all of you for helping all of us at Lowcountry Chiropractic have a great year. Thank you for working with us when our schedules changed, as we navigated through the pandemic together, and for supporting what we love to do and love to offer our patients. This couldn't have been possible without you, and we are forever thankful for your support and love. From all of us at Lowcountry Chiropractic, we hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful holiday and a fantastic new year. Until next time and next year, I'm Dr. Bob and I've got your back covered!

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Exciting Updates From Dr. Bob!

12/18/2020

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There are so many exciting things happening in our office, and I can't wait to share them with you! 

Hey everybody, it's Dr. Bob Salamon here with Lowcountry Chiropractic. I hope you're all doing well out there. Today on the blog we are going to be talking about a wonderful new addition to my Social Media world! As many of you know who support me on Facebook, Instagram, and beyond, you've seen that I try to stay as connected and be as up to date in the social media world as possible. It's also another way that I can teach about chiropractic, and it is something that I get very excited about! I am passionate about connecting with my patients and supporters as frequently as possible and in as many ways as possible. This is why I have decided to add something very special to my normal rotation of postings! 

As many of you know and have seen through my social media posts, I am very passionate about what we do in the office and the many ways I try to help as many people as possible. Chiropractic is such an amazing thing, and it's just not being utilized as much as I believe it should be or could be. The amount of misinformation, not knowing about its benefits, and the anticipated cost for treatments has gotten in the way of so many people seeking out treatment. This is one of the many reasons why I use social media, so I can break down these myths and misinformation and share what the heart of chiropractic is, and the fact that it can help anyone and everyone at any point of their life journey. 

One of my favorite ways of doing this is coming right to you on your computer or smartphone screens in the form of exciting vlogs! Or, in other words, a video blog! I have this bi-weekly blog that goes out twice a month, and I also have a bi-weekly vlog that goes out on Facebook twice a month, along with other weekly posts. If you haven't been watching my vlogs, I encourage you to do so to continue learning more about the benefits of chiropractic care, what's happening in our offices, and to get to know me a little bit better too! As some of you might know, we are a bilingual office. Our front desk receptionist and I are fluent in Spanish and we are huge supporters of the very large and wonderful Hispanic community right here in Charleston.

About two weeks ago I published my first, of what will hopefully be many, vlog that was in all Spanish! I discussed what chiropractic is and the benefits of it, and how it can help with pain reduction. When you do go and give it a watch I hope you enjoy it, and please remember there will be many more to come. It is an honor and a passion of mine to help and support the Latino community here in Charleston. I truly enjoy taking care of this vibrant community, they are great people and hard-working people. Since we speak Spanish here in the office, we do have the ability to really help those who might not be able to speak English very well or at all, and it is something we help with regularly. If you have a family member who has been avoiding getting the treatment they need because they've been concerned with a language barrier, that will no longer be an issue. Come and see us!

I hope these news updates are just as exciting for you as they are for us! I am so excited to see all of you this holiday season, to see you participate in our holiday promotion, to see how many food items we can collect, and to meet all of your referrals. If you have any questions or would like to come in for an appointment, don't hesitate to reach out. We are looking forward to hearing from you! I'm Dr. Bob and I've got your back covered!

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Dr. Bob Salamon
8988 University Blvd., Suite 104
North Charleston, SC 29406 
843-553-9383

bob.salamon@lcchiropractic.com
Office Hours:
​M, W, F: 10:00AM - 1:00PM & 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Saturday: By Appointment Only
Closed T, Th, Sunday


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