Category: Caring For You During The Pandemic

Benefits of Chiropractic Care For The Elderly

2/3/2021

Chiropractic care is safe and effective for everyone at every stage in their lives. Today, we will be discussing chiropractic care for the elderly; benefits, safety, and common myths!

Hello everyone, it's Dr. Bob Salamon here with Lowcountry Chiropractic! Welcome back to the blog. I hope you are continuing to stay healthy and well out there, and I hope you've started to take the advice I discussed in my last blog to heart. Making those healthy additions in your life can make all the difference, keep you healthy, make you feel good, and so much more! Always know that I'm here to answer your questions or to schedule you for a consultation; just give us a call or shoot us an email!

Today, I wanted to turn the tables and talk about chiropractic care for a certain age group. I've mentioned before that the myths and misinformation about chiropractic care can get in the way of individuals receiving life-changing treatment that can improve their overall quality of life. I hear these excuses and reasonings why individuals shouldn't get care all the time; I'm too young it's not safe, I'm too old it's not safe, I'm pregnant so it's not safe, I'm not in pain so I don't need chiropractic care. All of these reasons are incorrect. Today, I want to discuss and talk about chiropractic care for the elderly.

Is Chiropractic Care Safe For The Elderly?

First and foremost, absolutely! According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, chiropractic care for the elderly is a safe and effective alternative. It is one of the least invasive options for multiple different types of pain and can help avoid serious surgeries that could come with a very difficult healing period. According to Dr. Cheryl Hawk, a professor at the Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, TX says that chiropractic care is one of the safest interventions for the care of back pain in the elderly. The risk of any problems or harm from chiropractic care is similar to having a very serious problem after receiving a shot, which is very little. The most common side effects can be muscle soreness and stiffness, which can be addressed with drinking plenty of water, a well-balanced diet, and rest. These side effects are very similar to how you'd feel after starting a new workout plan. There is no age limit for chiropractic care. To guarantee this safety, the chiropractic treatments are modified to fit the age of the patient to best suit their issues and body. Modifications are made to the changes to the neurological and musculoskeletal systems that come with aging naturally. A 30-year-old will receive different treatments than an 80-year-old!

What Are The Benefits of Chiropractic Care For The Elderly?

Chiropractic care offers so many benefits to anyone that seeks out and receives care, it's one of the many reasons why I love what I do! You might be surprised at the number of benefits chiropractic care can give the elderly.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, chiropractic care can help strengthen and maintain your immune system. The elderly are one of the most affected groups when it comes to poor immune systems, especially during this pandemic. Getting consistent chiropractic care can help build up and maintain a senior's immune system.
One of the most common reasons we see patients is to help them deal with pain. As you age, your body could be experiencing more pain due to arthritis, bad knees, a bad back, and many other reasons. Chiropractic care is a natural pain management system; it can help these issues from getting worse and can potentially get rid of the pain you're experiencing altogether.
Chiropractic care can help increase mobility in seniors, allowing them to get around without the need of a nurse or family member, a cane, or a walker. Chiropractic care can help improve flexibility, align your joints, and help with tightness in the muscles, allowing seniors to move as they please and be able to conduct activities of daily living.
Balance can be improved and restored with chiropractic care. Elderly individuals who are prone to or at risk of falls truly benefit from chiropractic care, as treatments have been known to stimulate spinal receptors to improve coordination and balance.
Chiropractic care can help manage, stop, and decrease the degeneration of the spine.
Seniors can see a decrease in joint degeneration across the board if they receive consistent chiropractic care. Subluxations can cause the spine and other joints to wear out and break down much easier than they are meant to. This can cause serious pain, loss of mobility, inflammation, and many other painful issues. Chiropractic care decreases spinal degeneration and other arthritic changes by properly aligning the spine.
Chiropractic care can help prevent seniors from using over the counter pain medications.
It can help seniors avoid going under the knife for what can be very invasive procedures like hip, knee, and back surgery.
Chiropractic care can lead to an overall better quality of life, health, and wellness. It can allow seniors to move and get around to enjoy their favorite activities, allow them to spend time with their families, help them stay healthier, sleep better, digest better, concentrate better, have improved memory, and my other wonderful attributes.
Improving one's health, range of motion, balance, and stability not only improves one's quality of life, but it can also help seniors live at home longer on their own without a family member or a nurse having to move in, or having to move into a nursing home. It can also provide a senior's family peace of mind, knowing how much happier they are living at home, and knowing they are much safer from falling or slipping thanks to a stronger and healthier back.
Due to the fact that chiropractic care has a connection to the brain and its health, Medicare has accepted chiropractic care as an approved healthcare cost they will cover in the treatment of Alzheimer's and Dementia. Research is still happening on this topic, but many believe chiropractic care could help in the prevention or even prolong the years before either of these diseases appear.

Myths To Ignore When Seeking Chiropractic Care For The Elderly

I hear these myths and tall tales all the time in my office, and I know there are even more out there that I haven't heard yet. I wanted to share a few myths and false facts to throw out when considering treatment. Each of these statements is false; don't let them get in the way of receiving the treatment you need!

Chiropractic care is dangerous!
I'm too old for chiropractic treatments.
Chiropractic care is expensive, and I can't afford it on my pension or retirement funds.
Chiropractic care only treats back pain.
Chiropractic care isn't covered by insurance.
Chiropractic treatments rarely work.
Your bones will grind against one another when you get treated, and it'll hurt!
There is no scientific proof that chiropractic care works.
Chiropractors are not real doctors.
It's just a fad!

Remember, each of these items is false! If these are the reasons why you have been staying away from treatment, let us remedy that now! Give us a call or schedule an appointment with us right away!

Preparing For Your First Adjustment

Going to your first chiropractic appointment at any age can be overwhelming and make you a little nervous. Sometimes the worry and fear of not knowing can be what causes a person to not get the treatment they need. With that in mind, I wanted to provide a list of how to prepare for your first chiropractic appointment.

Make sure to show up a little early for any last-minute paperwork.
Dress comfortably and in clothes that don't restrict movement.
Be honest with your chiropractor about your medical history, what medical issues you have, what pain you're experiencing, and so on. While I'll be able to tell a lot about you from your exam, I won't be able to read your mind.
You might be asked to also get an x-ray or other tests so your chiropractor can understand more about your body and what troubles you might be experiencing.
Prepare for an adjustment on your first visit!
Remember, this won't hurt. Your chiropractor will go at a speed that is comfortable for you and will answer any questions you might have during your visit.
Be prepared to leave with some homework! Your chiropractor might ask you to do some stretches, buy a new pillow or a new office chair, or recommend some light exercises to help your alignment and overall health improve. These adjustments will also make your quality of life in between appointments more manageable and comfortable.
Please drink plenty of water and rest after your adjustment!

I hope all of this helps! Please know we are here for you at any stage of your life and can help you at any stage of your life. If you have any questions or concerns or would like to come in for a consultation give us a call! Stay healthy and safe, readers! Until next time, I'm Dr. Bob and I've got your back covered!

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Consistent Chiropractic Care; Why You Don't Need to Be In Pain for a Visit

11/25/2020

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Many people only search out their chiropractors when they're in pain. Today we are going to be talking about why you should give continued care a second thought.

Hi everybody! It's Dr. Bob Salamon here with Lowcountry Chiropractic. I hope that wherever you are that you are continuing to stay safe and healthy. Flu and cold season has arrived, and it's time to stay on top of your health as best you can. In many of my recent blogs, I have talked about that more often than not, your health is in your hands. Make sure that you're getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of water, eating well, staying active, and adding vitamin D3 to your diet. Each of these steps can help you feel better, fight off sickness faster, and prevent you from getting sick. What would also be even more beneficial to staying healthy during this time of year and promote a strong immune system, is to come and see me or to visit your chiropractor consistently.

While many people think the only time to go to the chiropractor is when they're in pain, I am here to implore you to think otherwise. I often hear from my patients that they have put off coming to see me because they just weren't in pain and they didn't see a reason to come until they were. Why wait to be in pain or when your body isn't working as it should to come see me? Instead of waiting for the pain, how about coming to see me to avoid any pain or discomfort at all? With this idea in mind, I wanted to talk about some of the top reasons why you should consistently be going to your chiropractor even when you're not in pain!

Avoid Going Under The Knife

Chiropractic care is based on the fact that your spine affects every system in your body. If a subluxation (misaligned vertebra causing a pinched nerve) is blocking a message from traveling from your brain to a part of the body, your body will suffer. Treating issues that stem from a subluxation with chiropractic care can help you avoid using over the counter or prescription drugs to help manage your pain or other effects of your subluxations. Chiropractic care can also be an all-natural treatment that helps you avoid invasive, unnecessary and expensive surgeries. Consistent chiropractic care helps to naturally keep your body aligned, helps it function properly, and helps keep your body strong. This can help prevent accidents, everyday wear and tear, and other issues that could eventually lead to surgery and/or strong prescription medications, both of which are better to avoid at all costs.

Pandemic Pivot

Many of my patients and readers have seen a huge shift in their day to day work schedule due to the ongoing pandemic. Many of them did or continue to work from home, which has come with its own share of wear and tear. Rolling out of bed and into your work chair until 5 PM comes has led to more and more time just sitting through the workday. The pandemic itself has also promoted a much more sedentary lifestyle for more people. Binging our favorite Netflix shows and polishing off that pile of books we've been wanting to read has finally happened, but at what cost to our backs?

Many of my patients have spent the last 8 months hunched over their desks employing very bad posture. This also hasn't been great for their hips or lower backs either. This pandemic posture and lack of movement can lead to increased pressure in your neck, shoulders, upper back, hips, and more. It can also cause some pretty serious pain or even lead to a slipped or herniated disc. Coming to see me consistently or visiting your chiropractor on a regular basis can help strengthen your back and fight against your pandemic posture and pandemic lifestyle. I can keep you aligned and make sure that while you have to sit still much longer throughout the day, the messages in your brain are still firing without interruption and without causing you any pain.

Squeaky Wheel

Going to a chiropractor consistently is the equivalent of getting oil changes and tuneups on your car. You can catch issues early before they become big problems, and you might even be able to prevent some issues entirely if you keep up with this maintenance. Consistent chiropractic care works exactly the same. One of the most common things that can be avoided or managed with chiropractic care is arthritis. My primary job is to keep your spinal bones moving smoothly and correctly, and as long as that happens it can prevent calcium deposits from forming and causing bone spurs, which leads to inflammation and arthritis. If arthritis is a common malady in your family's medical history, please come and see me as soon as you can. This no longer needs to be something you're dreading. You can leave your worries behind while promoting optimal health throughout your whole body.

Ball of Nerves

If 2020 has given us anything, it's a heaping pile of stress and anxiety that no one asked for. While these are emotional responses we have in response to what is happening in our lives and the world around us, it takes a physical toll on our bodies too. These heavy emotional moments and feelings that we carry around with us can cause some very serious repercussions. While many people don't like to admit that they're dealing with these emotions, they are just shoving even more pressure on their bodies by not dealing with them. Every human body responds to stress and anxiety in its own unique way, but one of the most common is an extreme amount of pressure placed on your back, shoulders, and neck. What is one of the best natural defenses against this? Chiropractic care! It is an incredible non-invasive way to help deal with the consequences of life. It also feels great and is an overall relaxing experience.

Better Bellies

Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, and that means many days filled with large, delicious, rich, and difficult to digest meals headed your way. With that in mind, you will be wanting to visit me to deal with the results of poor nutrition. Many digestive issues such as constipation, IBS, food intolerance, gas, and acid reflux can all be connected to poor posture, subluxations, inflammation, high stress levels, a bad diet, and a sedentary lifestyle. As I have already mentioned, continued chiropractic care can help prevent and eliminate stress, poor posture, subluxations, and a sedentary lifestyle. It also helps deal with and combat inflammation which is the major cause of pain. While chiropractic care doesn't automatically make you eat better, I frequently talk and write about how eating properly can help your body function at optimal levels.

If you're still unsure about the benefits of consistent chiropractic care, come and see me. Give us a call or shoot us an email, and we will be more than happy to get you in for an appointment. We will chat about your medical history, give you a thorough examination, and I will get right to work on helping you feel and function at your best at all times. Stay safe out there, everyone! Until next time, I'm Dr. Bob and I've got your back covered!

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Benefits of Chiropractic Care For The Elderly

Consistent Chiropractic Care; Why You Don't Need to Be In Pain for a Visit

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