Category — Philosophy

I specialize in balancing the spine and body.  That’s my job.  Drop by our office… you relax, and I’ll do the work.  But what about your life?  Is it balanced?  Are you putting forth the effort to have a balanced life?  What are you doing to help establish or maintain a healthy and balanced life?

Mid back pain is a fairly common complaint.  Causes of mid back pain can range from joint fixations to fractures or even from indigestion to internal organ disease.  However, the most common cause of mid back pain involves an alteration of the normal biomechanics of the spine and surrounding joints.  Sources of biomechanical problems include:

• Vertebral subluxation
• Rib subluxation
• Disc bulge or herniation
• Myofascial pain and trigger points
• Postural distortions
• Abnormal muscular tension

The spinal area of the mid back is called the thoracic spine.  It comprises 24 interlocked and movable bones called vertebrae.  The attachment of the 12 ribs is a unique feature of the thoracic spine.

In my experience, rib pain is frequently caused by a subluxation(s) of the costovertebral joint (the place at your back where the rib connects to the vertebrae).  To get an accurate diagnosis, I would first take a detailed history of your condition.  Sometimes patients with rib subluxations complain of painful breathing.  Others only have pain when they move their torso or neck to extremes.  Some have an obvious physical cause,while others have a mysterious onset.

Then I would need to fully evaluate your mid back and rib areas by performing various tests including but not limited to:

• Examining your posture.
• Checking your range of motion.
• Using my hands to feel for asymmetries in position, movement, and muscle tone (this is called Palpation).
• Orthopedic and neurologic testing.

Rib subluxations are easily treated by using a special adjusting technique.  All rib adjustments just take a few seconds to complete, and are generally painless.  In many cases, patient describe the adjustment as a “relief”, like when a large stone is moved off of your foot.

Muscle work typically ranges from around 10-60 minute sessions.  In many cases, our patients experience an  immediate reduction of pain and symptoms after their treatment.

If you are suffering from mid back pain and you’re looking for a natural way of treating the problem, give us a call.  We would be happy to provide you a thorough examination to allow for a clear diagnosis as to the cause of your pain.

I want to thank our staff and patients for helping come up with this list of fun Spring activities.  I hope it helps encourage you to stay active and enjoy this beautiful world.

1. Walk dog at the park.
2. Getting a massage at Spectrum Wellness.
3. Having a picnic at Kelly Drive park.
4. Playing hopscotch with the kids.
5. Playground!
6. Riding bikes.
7. Play my acoustic guitar.
8. Riding a Ripstik.
9. Play capture the flag in the woods.
10. Playing with the grandkids.
11. Plant a garden.
12. Driving with the windows down.
13. Ride a Harley!
14. Gardening.
15. In the morning, running in the cool grass.
16. Walking on the beach.
17. Biking to Spectrum Wellness.
18. Sitting on the porch drinking a banana, pineapple smoothie.
19. Cutting the grass in the sun.
20. Go to the park with friends.

Happy new year!  You’ve made it through another year.  2009 is behind you and 2010 is way up in front of you.  It still shocks many people when they consider that it’s the year 2010.  So many things have changed in our world over the last 20 or so years. But something that hasn’t changed is the view that with the turn of the new year, you can get a “fresh start”.

Fresh starts can come in many forms.  One of them are New Year’s resolutions… but from my experience, New Year’s resolutions don’t work.  They’re just wishful thinking that doesn’t last very long.

Unfortunately, many people continue this type of behaviour year in and year out.  I worked in a fitness center environment for several years and saw the same thing.  The gym became a crowded frenzy in January.  This always annoyed the regulars at the club.  But things always settled down over the next 1-2 months.  I learned from one gym manager that the club made somewhere between 75-80% of their profit in the first half of the year!  So many sign up for year memberships in January and February, but the majority who  just don’t bother showing up after a short time.

The same things happen with diets.  The very nature of a diet is that it is something that is done for a time and then is stopped.  How can that be effective for the long haul?  It just can’t be.

So what’s the solution?

My solution is to identify the areas that you want to improve.  Establish a clear goal as to what you want to achieve.  Develop a simple plan of small steps to work towards the goal.  Now you have to be committed to work your plan.  After all, a project isn’t completed in a single action step.  Your “project” will be completed and your goal achieved after many smaller action steps have been attained.

In regards to health goals… as you begin develop healthy habits, you will develop a healthy lifestyle that has the potential to last you for the long term.  Isn’t that better than fizzling out by April and then waiting until January first again to try it all again?

So begin thinking through your health goals this year.  Write them down.  Develop a simple plan.  If you need help, contact our office.

So, what are your plans for 2010?

I just finished reviewing some data from the Center for Disease Control that was a real eye opener.  It reported that:

“The medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs.”

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/overview.htm#3

Many (if not most) of these “chronic diseases” are absolutely preventable.  Smoking and bad eating habits account for most of the incidences of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.  Quitting smoking and changing your diet can be difficult, but it is the best choice for superior health.

It appears that much of the problem with our health care system is rooted in corrupt poliltics, insurance company policy, and pharmaceutical company agendas.  There needs to be reform at those levels.  But, if we are going to make some real long-lasting changes to our health care, we need to take prevention and healthy living seriously.  More than ever now, we need to get to the cause of the problem.  

A key concept that sets chiropractic apart from the medical approach is:

Chiropractic’s Goal Is To Remove Or Reduce The Cause Of The Problem

When I examine a patient, I am always considering what the cause of the problem is.  If someone visits our office complaining of a body pain, I will seek to discover if their problem is biomechanical in nature (from joints, muscles, or nerves) or not.  If the problem is biomechanical, I can develop a treatment plan that targets the cause and provides a quick and natural solution.  If their problem is not biomechanical (in whole or part), I will refer the patient to an appropriate health care provider.

For the majority of cases, I can find a safe, natural, solution that gets to the cause of the problem.

On the other hand, the typical medical approach to a biomechanical problem is to perform a cursory exam and then provide risky drugs, injections, or surgical procedures.  Chemicals that reduce pain, inflammation, and spasm don’t get to the cause.  They merely treat the symptoms and can actually make things worse in the long run.  The cause remains and the problem lingers.

Why can’t we treat our health care reform crisis with “chiropractic strategy”… and target the cause?

Because chiropractic care and other natural therapies are so safe, you can enjoy their benefits throughout your entire life.  And so can your children.

Many different scientific studies have found that spinal adjustments to be “remarkably safe” and “effective”.  To learn more about the safety and validity of chiropractic care for children, please check out our chiropractic research page.   One of the reasons chiropractic care has an undeniably solid track record is because we help our patients avoid dangerous drugs and risky surgical procedures.

Many parents ask me when they think their children can start chiropractic care.  I tell them that even newborns can receive adjustments. Childbirth tends to be rough on an infant’s body, and the sooner things are “straightened out” the better.

Even Natural Childbirth Can Have A Negative Impact On An Infant’s Spine

I’ve been adjusting my four children since the day of their births.  I’ve seen their births, and some have been rough.  I know that checking them regularly and providing chiropractic adjustments as needed is one of the best things I can do to keep them healthy and feeling good.

Some studies connect colic, unusual crying, ear infections, poor appetite, and erratic sleep habits can be signs of spinal imbalances. Our children are exceptionally healthy.  I thank God for their good health and for the honor of helping them achieve superior health.

Please remember…

Not All Adjustments Are Done The Same

Although I always provide careful and precise adjustments, when I adjust infants I am particularly gentle and use only light pressure.  I won’t ever separate children from their family.  In fact,  I’ll usually have mom or dad hold the baby while the adjustment is done.

Another key point to understand is…

Chiropractic Care Is Not Just For Pain Relief.

In fact, the major benefits of chiropractic adjustments are not felt.  When the spine and body are “balanced”, the positive effect on your nervous system influences your whole body in a healthy way.  Adjustments help to “relax” your nervous system, which allows your whole body to function at a more optimal level.

If your child has subluxations (spinal misalignments), their nervous system and body will operate in an “irritated” or “agitated state”.  This can manifest as a multitude of different health problems.  When your child receives a chiropractic adjustment, their nervous system and body can “relax” and “balance”.

Like Giving Your Children Healthy Food And  A Healthy Environment To Grow, Many Parents Make Chiropractic Care Part Of Their Child’s Wellness!

What parent wouldn’t want to provide their children the opportunity for superior health?

Please call me if you have any questions or concerns about chiropractic care for your children.  I will gladly meet with you and spend time explaining how our procedure is done.  If my children are in the office, I may be able to provide a “live demonstration”!

In the USA and in the UK, calling someone a senior citizen is the common polite way of saying that the person is older and possibly at the age of retirement.  Right now, the baby boomer generation has reached that age where many are seniors and reaching retirement.  Seniors are everywhere!

If You’re Not A  Senior Citizen, You May Have A Parent Or Grandparent Who Is!

Either way, it is good to appreciate and to understand some of the unique health situations that seniors face, and to focus on natural solutions.  By doing so, you can help serve, honor, and respect the ones who have invested much of their own lives supporting the younger generation.

Do You Have A Mature Spine?

As you age, many physical changes have taken place in your nerves, muscles, and joints (the neuromusculoskeletal system).  That is, unless you’ve discovered the fountain of youth!  Some changes are normal.   But many of so-called “normal” changes, are really just common and abnormal.  You may have been living with some of these abnormal changes for so long that you’ve grown accustomed to them.  The worst part is that they may be preventing you from experiencing superior health.  We’re talking about:

• Arthritis
• Restricted range of motion
• Loss of strength
• Loss of balance
• Cardiovascular weakness
• Postural imbalances
• Abnormal muscle tension and pains

Some changes come from the build up of “macro trauma” such as slips and falls, work injuries or auto accidents.  Some of your physical problems could be due to the build up of past “micro traumas” such as poor posture, bad work ergonomics, or repeatedly doing harmful exercises.

Some of the negative changes involving your neuromusculoskeletal system can be long-lasting.  These changes include arthritic changes, muscular tension, loss of normal ranges of motion, bent over rounded shoulders posture or “widow’s hump”.  Other lasting problems could include muscular weakness, incoordination, core instability, or loss of balance.

Loss Of Core Stability And Balance Is Very Serious And Can Result In Unexpected Falls!

If you are experiencing a body pain or a loss of body function (i.e. loss of balance, restricted motion, or weakness), getting help as soon as possible is very important.  Certain conditions can degenerate quickly, and the sooner you receive the proper care, the sooner you can begin healing properly.

We Have Had Great Success Treating Difficult “Long-Lasting” Problems

On your first visit to our office we will first perform a detailed case history and exam to identify your problems.   We may need to coordinate care with your primary physician and to review past diagnostic tests (i.e. x-rays or MRIs).  After the exam, I will clearly explain the best course of action to achieve your health goals.  If you decide to become a patient and I feel it’s safe, we can start treatment.

First, we will do our best to promote pain relief as fast as possible, while using natural therapies.  In my experience,  we can usually provide substantial relief within 5-10 visits.  On the short term, our focus is on reducing your pain, inflammation, and muscle spasm, and improving your joint motion, balance and stability.

In The First Few Visits We Will Provide Gentle Chiropractic Adjustments, Massage, And Other Natural Therapies To Promote Fast Pain Relief!

In addition to the care we provide, often you may be able to benefit from support to your “problem” areas.  We may recommend the following additional support to help ensure the best outcome from our treatment:

• A lumbar support pillow
• A cervical pillow
• Spinal pelvic stabilizers (Foot Levelers orthotic inserts)
• A joint support wrap
• Nutritional superfood supplements
• A TENS unit (electrical stimulation for home-based pain relief treatment)

As your body heals and you begin to experience freedom from your pain, you’ll probably begin wondering… “How long will this last?”.   For long-lasting improvement, you have to consider the “big picture”.  When considering the big picture of your ongoing wellness, you may need to incorporate ergonomic changes, targeted exercises, stress relief strategies, and dietary changes. Many of our seniors have found that even when they “feel good”, they benefit from some schedule of maintenance “chiropractic checkups” and/or massage therapy sessions.

We All Want To Stay Young!

Life may have been very rough on your body over the years, but we can help!  We see many patients who have reached the golden years.  Many of our seniors visit us on a regular basis because they have experienced the health benefits of regular care. They feel the results of having their joint mobility restored, their body balanced, their core stabilized, and their nervous system “relaxed”.

You can also experience freedom from pain and superior health naturally.  Why not give it a try?  It really works!

Mostly all of us have been taught to view symptoms as bad.  And when you have spinal pain, headaches, or just feel rotten, you’re told to get rid of the symptoms as fast as possible. But usually this is done without regard for your own health and without understanding the role of symptoms in your health.

When we are suffering we are told to take aspirin, or Tylenol, or to TAKE MORE AND MORE CHEMICALS!  Listen.  First of all, health can’t be found in any bottle!  Second, symptoms and pain are NOT always bad!  Your body was designed with a special warning system to let you know if something is harming you.  Pain is a way that your body talks to you.  Back pain may be your body’s way of telling you that you’re injured and need rest.  In many ways, pain helps you prevent injury and harm to your body. 

Covering up the pain can be DANGEROUS and can even invite the possibility of further injury.  It’s like having a really expensive fire alarm system in your home…and then disconnecting it before you go to bed so that it doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night!  BUT THAT IS ITS JOB!

If you injured your back, can imagine the damage you could do if you used a simple pain-killing drug that allowed you to forget the pain.  You might begin lifting again, which could very easily cause severe muscle and joint damage worse than the first injury!

There’s another aspect of symptoms that we need to look at.  Sometimes your symptoms are an indication that your body is doing its job perfectly.  Vomiting and diarrhea are natural body functions that could save your life!   If you’ve eaten bad food, you want your body to do its best to flush out the toxins you just ate!  These types of symptoms are your body’s own defenses working to keep you as healthy as possible!  Trying to remove these types of symptoms would be just plain harmful to your health!

Now let’s look at this from a different angle.  Most of us believe that if you feel good then you are healthy.  Let me explain why this is a very dangerous way to measure your health.  First, we already saw that symptoms aren’t always bad.  Sometimes they’re present when your body is working fine… as warning signs of damage, or as natural defense mechanisms.  Secondly, many times symptoms are the LAST stage of a disease. 

Did you know that the FIRST symptom of high blood pressure is often a DEADLY STROKE?  The first symptom of heart disease could be a FATAL HEART ATTACK!

You see, heart disease is a process – it takes time before your heart gives way.  By the time you feel it, it may be too late.  To put it simply, symptoms are a terribly inaccurate measurement of your state of health.

This is why I take a different approach to health care.  I won’t put my focus on your symptoms… I’ll put 110% of my focus on your health!  I understand that if your health is good then you are less likely to get sick. And my techniques are guaranteed to help you be healthier!  Let’s face it, what you really need to do is this:

TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH NOW BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOUR SYMPTOMS WARN YOU OF A PROBLEM, IT MAY BE TOO LATE! 

You’ll be much less likely to be sick and suffer from symptoms if your body is really healthy!  

Since TRUE HEALTH IS NOT DETERMINED BY HOW YOU FEEL, then how do you really know if you’re healthy?  You’re probably thinking, “What determines health, if it isn’t determined by the absence of things like symptoms and pain?”  The answer is…

SUPERIOR HEALTH IS DETERMINED BY THE PRESENCE OF THINGS – NOT BY THE ABSENCE OF THINGS SUCH AS SYMPTOMS OR PAIN!

Health is determined by the presence of all of your body parts functioning at their optimum levels.  In other words, when all of your body parts are working at 100% – you are 100% healthy.  It’s that simple!  If there were one thing I would want you to remember from this article, it’s this:

HEALTH IS THE NORMAL STATE OF YOUR BODY!

You need to view your health as something that can be created, enhanced, destroyed, and lost. You can picture your health like the contents of a bucket.  Doing the right things adds to the contents of the bucket and increases your health.  Doing bad things lessens the contents and may bring about disease.  Unfortunately, there’s an inherent problem with the bucket… it has holes at the bottom through which the contents continually leak.  Some of the holes are due to things you can’t change such as: aging, unavoidable stress and previous injuries.  But remember, there are many things that are in your control that cause holes.  So what are you to do when the contents leaks out all over the floor?   Should you spend time mopping up the floor?  NO!  This is just taking away the symptoms of a possible deeper health problem.  And we already discussed that this is taking a dangerous risk with your own health.  To really make a positive change in your health, you need to continually add to the contents of the bucket and to avoid things that cause more holes in your bucket.  You can’t do much about the past.  But remember:

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BEGIN TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT AND BEGIN DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO EXPERIENCE SUPERIOR HEALTH!

And remember that I’m here to help!  I’ll work with you one-on-one and help you with your individual needs.  I promise to do my best to guide and encourage you to get on and stay on the road to good health!

Your focus then moves from treating symptoms, to actively doing the things necessary to EXPERIENCE SUPERIOR HEALTH!  If you make the effort to stop chasing your symptoms and start moving towards optimum health then you’ll be truly practicing preventative health care.

Why be content to be merely free from symptoms when you can ensure better health & vitality for yourself and your whole family for your entire lives?

Maybe you’ve never heard of subluxations before. That’s okay.  If you’re a chiropractic patient, you probably have.  

A subluxation is a condition where a joint (the place where two bones meet) becomes jammed.  The bones become stuck and don’t move right, which causes nervous system interference.  This interference distorts the communication between your brain and your body, and can cause all kinds of health problems.

Subluxations causing nervous system interference can occur at any joint in the body. The core of your body (the spinal joints or vertebrae) frequently subluxate.  Subluxations are also common in the extremities.  The foot, knee and hip joints can subluxate.  The hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints can subluxate.

The body is complex.  A subluxation doesn’t just involve two bones and some nerves.  Muscles can become abnormally tight or weak.  Pain patterns develop.  Connected discs, ligaments, and other tissues can become damaged and inflamed.  Over time, degenerative changes can occur.  Bone spurs, arthritis, and other forms of decay can set in.

Subluxations are serious!

Joint subluxations are caused by three basic factors:  physical stress, chemical stress, and emotional stress.  Physical stress includes slips and falls, car accidents, repetitive motions, sprains and strains, sports injuries, improper lifting, and the like.  Emotional stress includes mental stress, anger, fear, unforgiveness, and the like.  Chemical stresses include smoking, alcohol, drugs, pollution, poor diet, and such.

You can have subluxations and not even know it.  Like tooth decay or cancer, subluxations may be present before any warning signs appear.  How can you know if you have a subluxation?  The best way to know is to be evaluated at our office by myself (or by another chiropractor).  

I use several different evaluation techniques to determine the presence of subluxations.  I check bone and muscle symmetry, test joint motion, and use a series of other indicators to evaluate each patient.  The results of a thorough examination can reveal the location and severity of subluxations you may have.

Chiropractic doctors (like myself) are the only licensed health care professionals dedicated to the detection, reduction, and prevention of subluxations.  I use a highly effective whole-body adjusting approach to improve joint biomechanics and reduce nervous system interference.  

Learn More About Dr. Ken Goldman’s Techniques

If you wonder how much your lifestyle affects your health, you have to read this article.  According to this latest research, diet appears to be the most influential factor in regards to cancer.

LONDON (Reuters) – Healthier living could prevent about a third of the most common cancers in rich countries and about a quarter in poorer ones, international researchers said on Thursday.

Better diets, more exercise and controlling weight could also prevent more than 40 percent of colon and breast cancer cases in some countries, according to the study which urged governments and individuals to do more to cut the number of global cancer deaths each year.

“At the time of publication, roughly 11 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer and nearly eight million people die from cancer each year,” said Michael Marmot, who led the study from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research.

“However, cancer is mostly preventable.”

The study involved 23 experts who analyzed both the incidence of 12 common cancers across the world and data on diet, exercise and weight to see how these factors contributed to kidney, mouth, lung, gallbladder and the other cancers.

The researchers found that healthier living would prevent 43 percent of colon cancer cases and 42 percent of breast cancer cases in Britain, and 45 percent of bowel cancer and 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States.

The findings follow the same groups’ study in 2007 that showed how quickly people grow and what they eat are both significant causes of cancer.

They recommended — in line with what health experts, including governments and the U.N. World Health Organization, have long been advising — that people follow diets based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and go easy on red meats, dairy products and fats.

The team also looked at China and Brazil as representatives of low- and middle-income countries, respectively.

Overall improving diet, exercise and weight would in the United States prevent more than a third of the 12 most common cancers — which also included stomach, womb (uterus), prostate, pancreas and esophagus tumors.

This amounted to 39 percent of the cancers in Britain, 30 percent in Brazil and 27 percent in China.

“This report shows that by making relatively straightforward changes, we could significantly reduce the number of cancer cases around the world,” Marmot said in a statement.

“On a global level every year, there are millions of cancer cases that could have been prevented and this is why we need to act now before the situation gets even worse.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51P2P920090226

The lesson here: if you want to have superior health, you must have a healthy lifestyle, which should include a whole-food plant-based diet.  A healthy lifestyle also should include regular moderate exercise, stress management, and getting sufficient rest among other things.

Many of our patients include regular chiropractic checkups and massage therapy as part of their healthy lifestyle because they know that it contributes to their health and well-being!