Category — Massage Therapy

Whiplash has numerous possible causes including motor vehicle accidents, roller coaster rides, sports injuries, and slips and falls. Car accidents are the most common cause, as there are many thousands of motor vehicle accidents in the United States every year - resulting in injuries and death.

Injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents range from mild to severe. The most common type of spinal injury is whiplash. This occurs when the head and cervical spine (the neck) is accelerated and then suddenly decelerated. Most whiplash injuries occur when you are sitting relaxed in your stationary car and you are unexpectedly rear-ended.

The time immediately after the accident is of critical importance. If severely injured, hopefully EMTs will arrive on the scene quickly and you will get the care you need. We have some of the best medical professionals in the world. What you do about your injuries in the next hours, days and weeks can forever affect your health.

If you’re involved in an accident, try not to be misled if the damage to your vehicle is minimal. Your body reacts very differently than metal, glass and plastic! Upon a rear-end impact, your body presses deeply into your seat. Your head moves with your body backwards until they reach the limits of your seat. Then, your body quickly changes directions and moves forward to the limit of your seat belt. Next, your head starts moving backward in the opposite direction. Because your head is unrestrained by your seat belt, your head is jerked backward and forward beyond its normal limits.

You can reduce the severity of a whiplash injury by wearing your seat belt properly, and making sure your headrest is adjusted to prevent your head from snapping over the seat.

Try not to minimize your injuries. Just as a car can have internal damage beyond the scraped pain on your bumper, your body can have deep injuries to your delicate spinal structures. Pain and stiffness of motion of varying severity will result from whiplash injuries. Often headaches appear, but can begin a week or more after the accident. These injuries can’t be healed by pain pills, muscle relaxers, or cervical collars. At this point, an immediate chiropractic examination is essential.

In my interview with a patient, I will conduct a thorough case history and detailed examination. I will review any imaging films or reports done at the emergency room or from other physicians. If I determine that it is safe to receive care at our office, I will make recommendations for your optimal recovery. In many cases, treatment can begin immediately.

In our office we have found that the integration of chiropractic care and massage therapy to be extremely effective in proper healing. Chiropractic adjustments of the spine and extremities helps restore proper position and motion of joints. Massage therapy targets the injured muscles and helps reduce pain, tension, and spasm, and promotes relaxation. You may also benefit from adjunctive therapies we can perform such as laser therapy, electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, therapeutic taping, or therapeutic stretching. We may prescribe a TENS unit (a small portable electrical stimulation device) or a series of home-based therapeutic exercises.

Since starting my practice in 1992, I’ve had the honor of helping hundreds of clients with a variety of neck injuries including whiplash. I’m very pleased with our integrated approach to patient care at Spectrum Wellness. Our care is top-notch and personal. Our goal is to help you to achieve superior health… and we will do everything in our power to help you get well and stay well after the trauma of a whiplash injury.

New this September, our massage therapy team is proud to be offering several new services for the ultimate in relaxation…

We are now offering 4 exciting massage “upgrades” that can be added on to your next massage. You are now able to “customize” your massage and make it even more enjoyable with the following options:

• Hot Stone Massage - our therapist will use special heated stones to make your massage even better. The stones are placed and rested in certain areas and are also used as effective massage tools.
• Paraffin Wax Treatments - therapeutic application of hot paraffin wax is a soothing treat for the hands or feet.
• Facial Massage - a relaxing and refreshing facial massage using special facial cream for healthy and vibrant skin.
• Peppermint Foot Massage - enjoy a fresh and relaxing foot massage that works on all the acupressure points on the feet.

Our team is also very excited to be offering infant massage classes for parents. Hands-on classes are scheduled for 30 minutes are are designed to teach parents the basic principles of infant massage.

• Infant Massage Classes - classes teaching a preventative natural therapy that can improve the quality of life for both you and your baby. Infant massage is an excellent way to promote well-being and is the perfect alternative to medicine and drugs by aiding your baby’s immune system.

If interested in one of our new services, simply ask during your next visit or when you call to schedule. If you need more information, please feel free to call and ask for me or ask to speak to one of our massage team members. We’re always available to help!

For more information on massage therapy, hot stone massage, or infant massage click here

If you’re new to massage at our center, just give us a call. We invite you to receive a free half-hour massage… on us! Really. No strings attached. Just relax and let one of our amazing therapist melt away your stress and tension.

I try to avail myself to at least one massage every week. Why? Because I know this life can “beat us up” quite a bit. Each day can be stressful. And this stress builds up. Imagine how much stress builds up in your body over the course of a week… let alone a month! So I really look forward to my weekly massages. I view each massage as a micro-vacation. Massage is an integral part of my own wellness lifestyle.

To receive a free massage at our office, you don’t have to be an existing client. If you’ve never had a massage at our center, just let us know. We just want you to give you the opportunity to experience the health benefits of massage. We know you’re going to love it.

Massage benefits your health by:

• relieving pain
• minimizing stress
• reducing muscle tension
• eliminating muscular trigger points
• easing headaches
• improving joint range of motion
• speeding up workout recovery time
• complimenting chiropractic adjustments
• improving your well-being
• balancing posture
• increasing circulation

After your free massage, we’ll explain our Spectrum Wellness programs. No pressure. If you decide to make massage a part of your wellness lifestyle like I do, simply pick a program that’s right for you.

If you want to secure your favorite time and minimize your waiting, it’s best to call ahead and make an appointment. Our therapists do prefer that you call ahead to schedule a massage, but they can accommodate same-day appointments and walk-in visits as well

When you’re ready to feel great, call us and schedule your free half-hour massage. You can begin experiencing the natural health benefits of massage today!

Click here to get to know our massage therapists.

This is a deep question. And it needs to be addressed because many of our clients ask this question of us early on. We usually try to explain everything on the first to our center. To handle this question we need to begin by establishing a foundation…

True Healing

First, it may surprise you to learn that doctors and drugs don’t heal. They can’t form the new tissue to mend a broken bone or heal a cut. Only your body can do that. I believe that each of us is a masterpiece, that has the miraculous ability to heal. True healing comes naturally from within.

At Spectrum Wellness we respect the natural healing process of the body. And because healing is a process, it take time. In some, healing takes longer than in others.

Children often see results quickly. Adults and seniors with long-standing problems can take much longer. Each person is unique and responds somewhat differently. When involved in natural healing, patience is a must.

What are Your Goals?

To reasonably answer the question of “How long will my recovery take?” we’ll need to uncover our client’s health goals. What are your health goals? We will always work with you and honor your goals.

If your goal is only pain relief, then your program with us will be relatively shorter. Now, if your goal is to recover as well as to prevent a relapse then we’ll need to focus on restoring full function. We’ll likely focus on core strength, balance, and muscular endurance. And if your goal is comprehensive care & wellness, then you’ll soon realize that attaining superior health is not a destination… it’s a journey.

At Spectrum Wellness, we get great results because we take a multi-faceted approach to healing. We’re a fusion of chiropractic, massage and exercise therapy. We work one-on-one with our clients to design personalized programs to produce the greatest results in the shortest amount of time.

If your recovery doesn’t progress as expected, we’ll change what we’re doing. Or, we’ll refer you to another health and wellness practitioner. You and your health are our primary concern.

With all this talk about pursuing a lifestyle of wellness, I want to address the number one reason people consult our office. Pain.

We, at Spectrum Wellness, accept clients with big pains or little ones. We handle acute or chronic conditions. Sport or work-related injuries. Even motor vehicle accident injuries. We welcome clients ranging from one end of the spectrum to the other.

What is pain anyway? Does it have a purpose?

Pain is a warning sign. It’s your body’s way of telling you that a limit has been reached. Like a smoke alarm, it’s not the alarm that’s the problem. The alarm has a cause, just like nearly every ache or pain has a cause. Some people choose to just cover up the pain instead of correcting the true cause. They end up believing that they’re totally fine because they feel fine. Unfortunately, the problem that lies below the surface of the pain still exists.

What’s your approach to dealing with pain?

Drugs?

Choosing to numb or cover up the pain with a chemical. Drugs can offer temporary relief, but they can’t correct structural or functional problems - such as spinal joint dysfunction (subluxation) or muscular problems. Just covering up the symptoms of a problem can be dangerous. Imagine if you were driving your car and a red flashing light appeared on the dashboard. Would it be wise to take a black marker and scribble over the light so that it wouldn’t shine in your eyes? Also, many drugs have dangerous side-effects and also have a long-term toxic effect on the whole body… just check out the back page of a drug advertisement in a magazine.

Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is an option that many people choose. However, exercising spinal joints that are misaligned is like continuing to drive your car with misaligned wheels! Some physical therapy facilities do adjustments like us.more than guide patients in an exercise program, but none offer the combination of natural therapies that we have.

Surgery?

This is the most drastic of all measures. Cutting through layers of skin and muscle tissue to cut, scrape, fuse, remove or alter body parts. While there may be times when surgery makes sense, they are risky. When it comes to emergency care, nothing beats Western Medicine. If I had a serious knife wound, I wouldn’t drop in to a fellow chiropractor’s office to get an adjustment! I’d get to an ER stat. Go to a hospital for sickness care… come to us for health care.

Natural Therapy?

Even better, Natural therapy is safe. The combination of chiropractic, massage and exercise therapy is the wise choice. Our focus is to find and correct the underlying cause of your problem.

Earlier this week, I was talking with Christine and Linda about our vision and our passion. After an insightful discussion we summed it up: Our passion is to help our clients get well and stay well - using natural therapeutic techniques that are safe and effective. We love the idea of promoting superior health in our community through natural therapies. We discussed just how different our approach to wellness is than the typical “Western” medical approach. To clarify our thoughts, I’d like to share the following story of a patient who visited us this month. Her story isn’t that unusual…

(I have changed the patient name to protect her privacy)

Debbie was referred in to our office by a caring family member. After she was warmly greeted by Christine and Linda, she was introduced to me. She was pleasant enough and seemed to carry herself well, but I could tell something was bothering her. After Debbie completed some health history forms I brought her into my exam room and began the interview. I looked over her forms with her and when I got to the pain/body diagram, my heart broke for her.

She literally had nearly every symptom checked and every body part circled - indicating she had pains everywhere. She indicated that her pain was a 9 out of 10 and was fairly constant. I discovered that she had been suffering from debilitating pains for over 14 years and had not been getting any better despite the numerous medications and injections she was given. She was at her wit’s end.

I began asking some hard questions. Did any of her doctors recommend chiropractic, massage or any other natural healing art?… “No.” Did any of her prior doctors advise her to a try healthier way of eating?… “No.” How was her diet? “Poor.”

Then I started the exam. Debbie was able to move fairly well during the exam and nothing really struck me as that extraordinary until I had her lie down on my exam table. I performed a detailed exam of her spine and the muscles of her back, thighs, legs, shoulders and arms. I discovered multiple areas of spinal subluxation (”stuck” spinal joints that cause nerve interference). I also found that she had multiple areas of extreme muscular tension and active trigger points (muscular “knots”) throughout her body. Some of her trigger points that were so “fired up” that when pressed they shot pain to across to other areas of her body.

I then asked her if any of her prior doctors examined her like this?… “No.” She told me she her doctors interviewed her and then she had x-rays, MRIs, and lab work. All tests revealed nothing wrong. It didn’t surprise me.  I see this type of case frequently.  I knew that all those expensive diagnostic tests don’t reveal the types of problems I found in her joints and muscles. And I found her problems (and the cause of her pains) by just using my hands. (Side note: chiropractic means “With Hands” or “Hand Practice”)

So what does traditional medicine do when they can’t find any causes?  She was prescribed medication to ease her pain. Over the years that changed to injections, and then more and more drugs. And she just didn’t think anything else could be done.

After finishing the exam, I clearly explained to Debbie what was wrong, and that I could definitely help. I provided hope. Her face lit up.

I let her know that I would accept her as a patient, and there was good hope that she would recover, but she would have to make a commitment to better health. She would have to start a program consisting of regular visits for chiropractic and massage therapy. It was also vital that she change her way of eating. She joyfully agreed. Her journey to superior health was just beginning.

This true story helped me clarify my passion as a chiropractic doctor and a natural healer. And in regards to wellness, it also revealed a very distinct difference between our approach and the typical “Western” medical approach…

We know that true health comes from within… not in a bottle.

And we don’t just cover up the symptoms with drugs… we uncover the true cause of the problem and provide natural and corrective care. How refreshing!

And in Debbie’s case… life-changing.