You may have heard about a growing epidemic occurring among today’s youth and even into the adult population called “text neck”. It’s caused largely in part due to the desire and necessity to use smartphones, tablets, and computers in this day and age. I refer to it as forward head posture in my practice. Call it what you will, but it’s leading to serious health issues.
When you look at the neck from the side position, it should form a C-shaped curvature. This is sometimes hard to notice without visualizing it on an x-ray. This curve is known as a “lordosis” and is essential in the normal functioning of the neck and the spinal nerves that exit there. Keeping the head and neck in a downward position for an extended period of time can have serious consequences.
Most commonly these consequences will include neck and upper back pain, tightness, stiffness, numbness, tingling, headaches, and migraines. If text neck is left untreated, this can lead to irreversible damage. This includes premature spinal degeneration (arthritis), weakening of the disc, and even nerve damage.
Research shows that each inch that your head moves forward from the center of your shoulders will double the weight of what your head normally weighs. That creates a tremendous amount of tension, pressure, and compression on the neck and upper back.
The longer this problem persists, the worse the consequences will be. It is nearly impossible to return the neck to a normal position without the aid and advice of a medical professional like a corrective care chiropractor. We have had great success in correcting these issues and restoring proper health in our office. I look forward to helping you and your family achieve your health goals.
There are 3 common conditions that St. Charles chiropractors treat. Chiropractors are most notably known for their work with the spine. As more and more people seek to find a natural healthcare provider that is genuinely concerned about the long term effects of the treatment they prescribe, chiropractors are becoming widely accepted and utilized over traditional allopathic models for musculoskeletal conditions.
1. Back Pain
Back pain, usually low back pain, is likely the most common condition that people see chiropractors for. Certain conditions such as stiffness, arthritis, scoliosis, disc degeneration, and more have been treated by chiropractors in St. Charles.
2. Neck Pain
Neck pain is becoming more and more of a problem with the desk working and adolescent populations. The more technology that we are dependent on, the more mechanical stress we are placing on the neck and upper back as a result of poor posture and poor ergonomics. These types of problems usually lead to tightness, stiffness, arthritis, nerve irritation, muscle spasms and more.
3. Headaches
Headaches are also among the 3 common conditions that St. Charles chiropractors treat. Headaches can come in a variety of different forms and fashions. There are migraines, tension, cluster and many others. Headaches can be felt in common areas such as below the skull, temporal, frontal, and top of the head. The most frequent are below the skull area. These headaches have a high tendency to be created from a neck problem that needs to be addressed.
If you have been experiencing any of these three conditions, chances are, you may be best treated by a chiropractor. If you have questions about your case, let us know! Check out this write up about neck and back adjustments
Recently I’ve had quite a few patients come in with elbow pain. The most common presentation so far has been lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. Pain on the other side of the elbow can be associated with medial epicondylitis or golfer’s elbow.
You do not have to play tennis to get tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is most commonly a repetitive type stress injury, meaning repeating the same motion or stressful event over and over again. This leads to chronic stress at the elbow.
That leads me to my next point, this process is very rarely acute! This means that it had to be building up for a long period of time. It is highly likely that this results in no major tearing in the tendons at the elbow. Sure there is micro damage that occurs but that happens in any stress to the body.
Tennis elbow involves overuse of the arm extensor muscles, usually leading to pain, tightness, and restriction at the outside of the elbow joint. These symptoms can travel up or down the arm as well depending upon the presentation. These patients will often feel pain when shaking hands, picking up items, unscrewing lids, and any contraction of the extensor muscles.
The most common mechanisms of injury are things like using a mouse for work all day, painting, playing guitar, cooking, racket sports, golf, and crafting. All of these require grasping an object and mostly in a palm down direction, leading to direct overuse of the extensor muscles.
There are many treatment options available. Medication and injections can temporarily reduce pain leaving the problem to get worse while damaging the tissues. Soon after they wear off, the pain will return and possibly be worse. Surgery should be reserved as a last resort option. As a patient, you need to treat the source of the issue and correct the reasons why it got there in the first place.
Through chiropractic treatment in my office, I start with examining the biomechanical chain. Everything from the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist needs to be evaluated. Oftentimes, issues can arise due to weak links somewhere along this chain, causing a compensation at the elbow. I will adjust the elbow and specifically the radial head to restore normal joint motion. Next I focus on treating the tissues directly with Active Release Technique and instrument assisted soft tissue scraping. Once the joints are functioning properly and the tissues are free of adhesions the patient may begin rehabilitating with a special tool.
If you think you have similar symptoms and would like to see if you qualify for chiropractic care, please call my office and ask for an appointment with me. I look forward to helping you achieve your health goals.
That headache that lasts all day and is just getting worse. You know the feeling. To top it all off, you have a million things to do, and no desire to do any of them. This article will explain all about headaches and how to deal with them naturally.
Most people with headaches reach straight for over the counter (OTC) pain medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). These medications provide short-term relief of the symptoms. If your headaches are becoming more frequent and/or severe, that is your body’s way of telling you that there is something wrong. Here are some of the top ways to help alleviate your headache without drugs.
Chiropractic
I have yet to find a headache patient without a misalignment of the bones in the neck. These misalignments of the vertebrae cause the nervous system to become overwhelmingly stressed. What happens next? The muscles tense up and spasms may occur. These people will have likely started the inflammatory process which leads to swelling and more pain. All of this because the nervous system wasn’t communicating properly.
When your chiropractor performs an adjustment, he/she is resetting the pain cycle by moving the bones and restoring proper biomechanics. This sends a signal through the nervous system, to the brain and back out to the body, telling the tissues to relax.
Ergonomics
It’s important to maintain proper body positioning when it comes to preventing headaches. Many times it starts with sleeping habits. As a rule of thumb, sleeping on your back is the best position for your whole spine. Sleeping on your stomach is the worst. Try to sleep with only one pillow to keep the neck in a more neutral position.
Your desk or workstation needs to be evaluated as well. The biggest contributing factor to headaches in the workplace is an improperly positioned computer screen. Your screen should be at eye-level so that you are not straining the neck by looking down or up for extended periods of time. Sitting upright in a supportive chair will help to maintain spinal alignment. Keeping the arms at 90 degrees and supported will cause less stress to the upper shoulders (trapezius).
Exercise
When performed correctly, posture based corrective exercises will help to stabilize the spine and reduce the risk of recurring headaches. Exercise also reduces emotional stress which often times accompanies headaches. As a rule of thumb, if there is a muscle in your body that is already too tight (most commonly the muscles in the back of the neck, upper traps), do not attempt to strengthen these muscles as you are making the problem worse.
Nutrition and Diet
We’ve all heard of allergies before. But what I’m about to explain is not just the kind you get when the seasons change or when it rains. We’re talking about sensitivities. This is an allergy, but only on a smaller scale. For example, the feeling you might get after eating a meal with a lot of gluten, dairy, or artificial ingredients in it (bloating, headaches..etc). This is very common in today’s age and by choosing meals that are not processed and by staying away from sensitivities, we can avoid many of these symptoms.
If you are experiencing headaches and would like to know how to deal with them naturally, all our office and Dr. Ezell will be happy to help.
Your chiropractor needs to be someone who you can trust. Someone who has your best intentions in mind and will give his or her best recommendations to you, at all times. Here are 8 important questions you should ask before choosing a chiropractor as a new patient.
1. Can the chiropractor help me with my goals?
What health goals are you searching for? Are you looking for help with a sports injury, pain relief, or wellness care? Does the chiropractor treat babies, adults, or people with medicare? Are you seeking treatment following a motor vehicle accident or a work injury (these will often require different forms of paperwork than normal new patients to the office)? Are you seeking nutritional advice, acupuncture or rehabilitation? Do you prefer a certain type of chiropractic adjustment? Be sure to find a chiropractor that can meet your specific health goals.
2. Does the doctor have positive and satisfied patient testimonials?
One of the best ways to check on the chiropractor’s credibility is to read reviews and testimonials from people who have been seen by the doctor before. A great source of reviews are found online. Google Places, Facebook, Yelp and others are among great places to check for.
3. What types of examinations does the doctor take?
Granted that all chiropractors are required to examine a patient before initiating any type of treatment, some are better than others. Depending on what type of problem that you have also dictates where the direction of the examination should go. So where I am going with this? You want your doctor be very specific in deciphering your complaint and determining the cause of the problem. Some questions include: Does the doctor take x-rays? Does the doctor have enough time to discuss and examine all of your complaints? Does he utilize any other instruments to make his recommendations?
4. Does the doctor network with other doctors of specialty?
While chiropractic treatment is beneficial to most people, some require treatment from other providers. This is usually done collaboratively to reach a common goal. Your chiropractor should not be afraid to send you to someone who can more appropriately handle your problem, if need be.
5. How does the chiropractor track my progress?
Both you and the doctor need to be on the same page regarding how treatments are coming along and what lies ahead. Your chiropractor should be notating how you are feeling each visit by asking you directly and using clinical skills to determine the future care schedule. Some chiropractors do re-exams at a certain point to check for improvements, some will utilize objective findings on x-rays, and some will use tools and instruments. Your chiropractor should be able to gather enough information to add to clinical experience for progress analysis. In the case that you are regressing, your doctor should have a plan to figure out if he needs to change his treatments with you or refer back to question 4 and refer you to someone else who can help.
6. Is the doctor in good standing with the state boards?
A quick search online to any chiropractic state board should be able to tell you if the chiropractor has any complaints filed against him.
7. Does the office have a no (or minimal) wait policy?
Who likes to go into a doctor’s office, on time, and still have to wait an hour to finally get in to see the doctor? People these days are busy. You have things to do and places to go. Your chiropractor should be on time and respectful of yours.
8. Does the chiropractor offer preventative solutions/exercises for at home?
Speeding the healing process is often achieved with home care recommendations. Preventative recommendations present a way to minimize the chances of these problems reoccurring in the future.
These questions are some of the best questions to ask before choosing a chiropractor. There are also many others. Here in our office we love questions as they are part of the education process!
Learn more about the types of chiropractic care we provide here→ Types of Care
As a chiropractor, I’ve witnessed many successes, been through the struggles, and laughed at the good times. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like, this is the life of a chiropractor in 5 short facts.
We’re really tired of the “Chiropractors are not real doctors” jab. Honestly, it’s just funny now. Please come up with a new one. In the mean time, I’ll be continuing my quest to help more people.
I am constantly judging your posture and movement. “Cell phone guy is going to have some neck issues soon”, “That deadlift is going to hurt tomorrow”, “How have your ankles not broken yet with all of that pronation?”.
I hear some pretty funny stuff but the most common things I get are:
“I pop my own neck, it’s fine”
“I looked it up on google, here’s what I have”
“I usually have a high pain tolerance”
“Are you going to crack me today?”
“I heard people die from neck adjustments”
“Have you seen that ring dinger chiropractor on Youtube?”
I find myself yelling at the TV or some other social media post when “new” research comes out validating something that chiropractors have been saying for years.
Chiropractors need adjustments too. Arguably, we need it more than you. Can you imagine leaning over patients, dropping on mid and low backs, cranking wrists and shoulders out? It hurts, but part of the sacrifice I’m willing to endure to give back to my community.
I’m sure there are many more great stories that I could share but these should give you a glimpse into the life of a chiropractor 👨🏼⚕️
Yours in health,
Dr. Glenn Ezell
Disclaimer- This is meant to be comical, please laugh and enjoy!
Approximately 80% or more of Americans sit at a desk all day at work. This is particularly troublesome. Sitting at a workstation for hours and hours has been known to stiffen joints, tighten muscles, and end up causing pain one way or another. By having proper ergonomics you can minimize the amount of stress on your body, but nonetheless, there is bound to still be some pain or tension that will accumulate. So what are the best desk stretches to keep you balanced? Let’s find out!
1. Seated Piriformis Stretch
This stretch is great for people who are experiencing pain or tightness in the glute area. This can be particularly effective for people suffering from sciatica as the sciatic nerve often runs beneath this muscle. To perform, simply cross a leg, put downward pressure on the knee, and lean your trunk forward but making sure to keep your back straight. Hold 10 seconds, perform 3 times.
2. Neck Stretches
Two ways to stretch the neck. By turning your chin towards the direction of stretch, it will hit more of the trapezius muscle. By turning the chin away from the direction of stretch, you will target more of the muscles that run into the top of the shoulder blade (levator scapulae). Use the opposite hand to pull on either side. Make sure to point your chin down a bit as well and not to have only ear to shoulder motion. Hold 10 seconds, perform 3 times.
3. Brugger’s Posture
Bruggers posture is a great way to reset poor posture that happens at a desk. Simply rotate your palms facing outwards, bring your chest up, drop your shoulders, and squeeze between the lower shoulder blades. This effectively stretches and strengthens the combination of muscles and joints that are required for best posture. Hold 10 seconds repeat 3 times.
4. Wrist/arm stretches
This is a great stretch for people who work at work at computers. This can prevent and help with wrist pain, tendonitis (golfers elbow, tennis elbow), carpal tunnel and more. With the arm fully extended, pull the palm towards you, using the other hand. Now turn the hand the other way, and pull it towards you again. The first stretch on the picture shown will treat the outside of the elbow, as well as the wrist. The second will treat the inside of the elbow. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 3 times.
By performing these stretches, you will be better balanced and hopefully be able to reduce your pain while at your desk. These are best to be done at least 3 times daily. So 3 sets of 3 and 10 second holds.
People are becoming more and more aware that their bodies just aren’t able to digest and eliminate certain types of food and food ingredients. It’s not really appropriate to label individuals as allergic or not. There are degrees of intolerance or sensitivity that cover a wide spectrum. Some of the main sensitivities that are affecting people today include: gluten, eggs, soy, nuts, shellfish, some chemicals in food (preservatives, coloring, etc.), and of course DAIRY.
The two main culprits in most dairy products are lactose and the protein, casein. In the case of lactose intolerance, or lactose sensitivity, those people are lacking an enzyme called lactase which is in charge of breaking down lactose. Casein is a very slow digesting protein and can cause digestive issues and irritation for many people. It is estimated that up to 65% of people have some degree of lactose intolerance.
So how would you know if you have trouble with dairy products? Check out these 5 can’t-miss signs that you are dairy sensitive:
Skin conditions and irritations
Acne
Redness
Eczema
Rashes
Hives
Abdominal pain
Generalized or local
Cramping
Bloating
Constantly feeling distended
Uncomfortable
Loose stools
Diarrhea
Watery
Associated with gas
Lowered immune system (especially in kids)
Tends to get sick more often
Ear infections
If you are having these types of symptoms, the best way to find out if they are coming from dairy products or not, is to do an elimination diet. Essentially, removing all dairy products from your diet and monitoring your symptoms for improvement. This should be done for at least 3-4 weeks to let your body re-establish a normal baseline.
Watch out for hidden dairy. Most of your protein supplements like shakes, bars, and others have whey protein which is a milk derivative. The good news is that there are a lot of dairy free options for your vices that are hard to give up. Ice cream, cheese, milk, whipped cream, all have dairy free alternatives made with either coconut or almond milk.
Contrary to former beliefs, we don’t need to drink milk. You can get calcium, vitamin D, and other great nutrients from other foods and supplements without all of the detrimental effects of dairy. Milk is a substance produced by mammals to nourish babies until they are able to eat food. So as adults, we certainly don’t need milk and especially not from cows.
Questions? Comments? Disputes? Shoot me an e-mail or message!
If you resonate with this article, please share it so your friends know this important information!
There are millions of supplements that are available today to you. A majority of them depend upon different factors in order to actually help a certain person. There are a few supplements though that could help the greater majority of our population. The one supplement that everyone should be taking is a probiotic!
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be ingested to promote a healthy lifestyle. Your gut is filled with hundreds of types of microorganisms like yeast, bacteria, and viruses. The good bacteria that lines your intestinal walls is called your “norma flora”. This flora is the gatekeeper of your gut. It supports the uptake of vitamins, nutrients, and other good stuff that your body needs to stay healthy.
How do you take them?
As a quality source, mainly you will get the right dosages by either taking a supplement in pill or capsule form, or by eating organic fermented foods. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi all have a lot of probiotics in them. I do recommend finding other sources different from the dairy products. Dairy has been shown to be highly inflammatory and is causing its own set of allergies and sensitivities in our population and has little dietary benefit when compared to other sources of nutrients.
What can they help with?
It has been shown that 70% of your immune system is in your gut! You’ve got to protect it! There’s no better way than to support with probiotics. People who take probiotics experience less bloating, IBS, and diarrhea. Positive immune response will follow. Your body relies on the gut to transport nutrients and vitamins to get to the rest of your body. What does that mean? So the vitamins that you just took, the healthy meal you just ate, without a healthy gut flora, none or little actually gets where it needs to go, it just gets excreted.
What decreases your normal gut bacteria?
Certain medications can decrease your norma flora. For example, antibiotics will wipe your gut clean of all of that good bacteria. This would be a good time to double up on dosages in order to re-populate. Not eating enough prebiotics for the bacteria to live off of will de-populate. Alcohol use, lack of exercise and sleep also decrease good gut bacteria.
So now you know the one supplement everyone should be taking. The question is, are you?
For dosage information, concerns, or general questions about probiotics, reach out to me and I’d be happy to help.
Everyone has a medicine cabinet, the question is, how natural is your medicine cabinet? It’s not a bad idea to stock your medicine cabinet with things that you can use to help your everyday sicknesses, ailments, and pains. Even better if you have things on hand that work with your body instead of covering up the symptoms and creating side effects.
Ailments like the common cold, the flu, allergies, dermatological issues (blemishes, burns, scrapes, rashes), sleeplessness, and many others can be treated naturally before reaching for the over the counter or prescription drugs.
TOP 11 NATURAL MEDICINE CABINET SUPPLIES
Tea Tree Oil (Maleluca)
Clears facial blemishes
Antiviral/antifungal/antibacterial
Inhale vapors for sinus infections
Elderberry
Potent flu fighter
Eucalyptus Oil
Clears lungs and sinuses
Great or coughing illnesses (expectorant)
Ginger
Fights nausea
Helps with indigestion
Great for morning sickness
CBD Oil
Improves sleep
Lessens pain
Decreases anxiety
Vitamin D
One of the most powerful ways to prevent sickness
Adults take at least 5,000 IU daily
Taking during the winter months is the most important
Call it what you will, but it’s leading to serious health issues.
