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

http://www.ezellchiropracticllc.com/neck-and-back-adjustments/

Yours in health,

Dr. Glenn Ezell

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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.

Yours in health,

Dr. Glenn Ezell

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What Happens When You Crack Your Own Spine?

You’ve seen people do it, maybe you even do it yourself. Cracking your own spine. Grandmothers everywhere will tell you that it gives you arthritis. Some of you are what we would call, “addicted to crack”. Bending yourself over the back of a chair or twisting your own neck. All of these may help you feel better, but ask the majority of people who do this and they will tell you that it feels like it needs to “pop” again within a short period of time. So what actually happens when you crack your own spine?

This is likely the case because the joints that are actually making the popping noise are the ones above and below the main restriction, which are what we call “hyper” mobile joints. They are actually moving too much in order to compensate for the restricted joint in between. It may feel good temporarily but will usually not last long.

You see, there are 24 moving vertebrae in your spine (7 neck, 12 mid back, 5 low back). You can consider a group of 2 or more of these vertebrae to be a “motion segment”. Cracking your own spine helps the “motion segment” move a bit more, but the original restriction likely will remain, causing relapse of symptoms and allowing future problems to occur.

The other reason for this short term relief is that we are not able to impart the right forces at the right angles on ourselves to fully clear the joints of the restriction, you might get a pop releasing some of the gas in the joint but it did not fully move.

Are there any potential risks involved with cracking your own spine?

Yes there are. Let’s start with the obvious being that chiropractors have studied and practiced for years the art, science, and philosophy of the spinal adjustment and is at the heart of what most of us do, making us the experts in this field. Knowing when, how, where, and why to adjust is extremely important.

Given years and years of cracking your own spine, there is a potential to create ligamentous instability which would allow for your spine to be susceptible to a multitude of more serious injuries and permanent damage.

Yours in optimal health,

Dr. Glenn Ezell

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Reduce Neck and Back Pain At Your Desk

• Working as a chiropractor for years, I have found that there are several specific things that tend to cause pain in most individuals. One of the most common is poor desk and workstation ergonomics. In this post I will share with you some of the best ways to reduce neck and back pain at your desk.

• Your workstation should be set up in a way that is easiest on your body, particularly, your spine. The average american sits for an average of 13 hours a day. That’s a whopping 54% of your day! You’re going to want to make sure that you are sitting and working in the best way possible, otherwise you could end up with chronic neck and back complaints stemming from postural distortions, arthritis, and muscle imbalances.

The best tips to reduce neck and back pain at your desk:

1. Feet flat on the floor. Stay away from propping your legs up on a stool or chair as this will cause strain on your lower back. Crossing your legs will twist the pelvis.
2. Thighs 90 degrees to floor or slightly downward. To change this, you will have to use the elevation function on the chair. For shorter individuals, you may need to use a step stool under your feet.
3. Rock your pelvis forward to sit up tall. When done properly, you will feel as if you are sitting more on your “butt bones”, which will allow for a natural arch in your lower back.
4. Shoulders retracted and down. As stress levels rise, the shoulders tend to migrate up, leading to tightness in the neck and back. Prevent rounding by gently holding shoulder blades together.
5. Forearms at 90 degrees to body. Modified by positioning keyboard and mouse at the appropriate level. Too high and this will cause the shoulders to rise, leading to number 4.
6. Monitor at exactly eye level, straight ahead. The slightest tilt of your neck in a downward position will cause pain in the neck. Your chin should be parallel to the floor. Use books or a stand to prop it up. Do not have the head in a turned position for a long period of time.
7. Use a lumbar support if your back gets fatigued. If your find your back getting worn out from sitting up, purchase a lumbar support that will aid in keeping the natural arch in your back.

Other important factors include taking your wallet out of your back pocket and taking frequent breaks to stretch and get up to move around.

Yours in health,

Dr. Glenn Ezell

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Most people would like to believe that if you are not in pain, there is not a problem. Although that would be ideal, this is a common misconception especially when looking at cases that deal with car accidents.

Most commonly, pain will follow an accident in a matter of hours to days, sometimes even months. It is crucial to treat these injuries immediately, even if there is no pain, otherwise you can be left with irreversible damage such as early degenerative disease (arthritis). The sooner you start care, the less chance you have in developing long term problems.

Injuries and symptoms that are commonly seen with car accidents include disc herniations, sprain/strains, headaches, migraines, neck pain, and back pain. The most common injury is called whiplash. The rapid acceleration or deceleration leaves the neck extremely vulnerable to a violent jerking motion.

A comment that I hear all to frequently is “It was just a fender bender, I didn’t get injured”. Research shows that accidents as slow as 5-10 miles per hour are enough to cause spinal damage. Imagine what happens at higher speeds!

The best personal injury attorneys will tell you that they always recommend that victims of car accidents should immediately seek a medical evaluation.

You are going to need a doctor who specializes in the treatment of whiplash  and car accident injuries. A hospital visit will typically consist of an examination for any life threatening conditions (broken bones, lacerations..etc) and then a release with pain medications. It’s important to know that pills DO NOT correct the damage that occurs to the spine and soft tissues following the accident!

At Ezell Chiropractic in St. Charles, we take your case seriously. We will take x-rays on site and provide you with the most comprehensive and up to date examination that is available today.

We work closely with attorneys and car insurance companies, paying close attention to every detail, making sure that the correct documentation is in place to ensure that you receive the settlement you deserve. This process is most commonly covered by car insurance and leaves the patient with no out of pocket expenses for the treatment.

 If you or someone you know has been in a car accident, mention this post for a free consultation with Dr. Ezell. 636-486-7044

Yours in health,

Dr. Ezell

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