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Chiropractic Care for Sinus Congestion, Sinus Infection and Sinusitis

Sinus congestion treatment

Call 913-283-9803 or schedule online at this link

Our sinuses consist of eight hollow spaces in the bones of the forehead, cheeks and temples. Healthy, open sinuses are lined with sticky mucus to ensure that air going into the lungs is moist, warm and free from dust, dirt, and pollutants. Without these filters, lungs, kidneys and blood can become permeated with toxins from our environment.

In sinusitis or sinus infection, the linings are inflamed. The tissues become full of mucus and drainage is blocked. Increased pressure causes pain, swelling around the eyes, clogged nasal passages, chills, fever, dizziness and loss of appetite. Some people are more prone to this condition in the fall, especially with pollen, mildew, and mold allergies.

Patients often get some instant relief from sinus congestion with full spine Chiropractic adjustments and/or Acupuncture treatments. When your body is sick, tight, and run down, your lymphatic drainage is also slowed to a standstill. It is important to keep this lymph system flowing. Specific adjustments to restrictions in your spine along with soft tissue mobilization can encourage drainage for great relief of sinus congestion symptoms. The cranial bones of your head may also be manipulated to allow for relief of pressure in and around the blocked sinuses. It is very exciting when a patient receives an adjustment and is then able to comfortably pull in a full and effortless breath after days or even weeks of congestion.

I strongly recommend regularly taking a probiotic supplement or making your own fermented foods to keep your gut healthy which will in turn cure allergies of all kinds. I sell Kefir starter kits and demonstrate how to prepare fermented milk as a natural, sustainable probiotic superfood.

Other things to consider would be to eat raw honey as it “inoculates” your immune system to the pollens in the raw honey making it less likely for an immune response when you breathe them. Avoid nasal sprays that dry out your sinuses as they will prompt the mucosal membrane to just make more mucous. Be sure to stay away from cigarette smoke. Your diet can be a major culprit in chronic sinus problems. Avoid all dairy products, gluten-containing grains, sugars, flour, fried food, and salts because this will likely to make sinuses worse. When practicing eliminating potential allergens from your diet, a 2-3 week elimination period is necessary to allow the body to adapt.

Nasal irrigation with a neti pot may also be helpful. Daily hypertonic saline nasal irrigation improves sinus-related quality of life, decreases symptoms, and decreases medication use in patients with frequent sinusitis. A simple yet effective technique is to pour salt water solution into one nostril and let it run out through the other while the mouth is kept open to breathe, using gravity as an aid. Jala-neti, which means to cleanse the nose with water, is an old yogic technique. The container used to administer the saline is called a “neti pot”.

Call 913-283-9803 or schedule online at this link

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Chiropractic Care for the TMJ and Jaw Pain

tmj x rayI have seen some great results when working with patients who have Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) symptoms including pain, popping, clicking, tenderness, tension, and difficulty chewing in and around the jaw area. I apply gentle adjustments to the joint itself and then work with the soft tissues that are involved with the TMJ. Two muscles responsible for motion of the jaw can be accessed superficially near the cheek and the temple at the side of the head. Two more sets of muscles can be accessed inside the mouth at the angle of the inner jaw. Using a gloved hand, I can apply pressure and motion to these muscles inside the patient’s mouth to release tension that is built up inside for great results.

It is common for people to posture and clench their jaw in times of increased stress. This can cause trigger points and adhesions in the muscles and really put a lot of extra pressure on the TMJ and even cause headaches. In times of stress, you can focus on deep abdominal breathing and specifically relax the jaw. Some simple exercises may help also including opening the jaw wide and closing. Then repeat these motions against the resistance of your hand to make it slightly more of a challenge.

Put your mouth through some resistance training.

Place your thumb underneath the center of your chin.

Open your mouth slowly by lowering your jaw, while applying steady light pressure to the bottom of your chin with your thumb.

Hold your mouth in the open position for 3 to 6 seconds, and then close your mouth slowly.

Repeat this exercise 3 to 6 times.

Exercise the joint in the opposite direction by providing resistance while closing your mouth.

Place your thumbs underneath your jaw and your index fingers on the joint of the jaw.

Push lightly with both your thumbs and your index fingers as you close your mouth.

Exercise your jaw with side-to-side movement.

Open your mouth and place an object that is less than 1/2-inch thick, such as a pencil or a popsicle stick, between your teeth.

Move your jaw slowly to one side, then the other.

Repeat this exercise several times, then choose a thicker object to place between your teeth when the exercise is no longer challenging.

Put the same item between your front teeth to exercise your jaw with a forward motion.

Slowly move your bottom jaw forward until your upper teeth are behind your lower teeth.

Repeat this exercise several times, again replacing the object with something thicker when the exercise seems too easy.

Other Tips:

  • To reduce the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ eat soft foods and do not chew gum or bite your fingernails.
  • Set your phone alarm to go off every hour to remind you to unclench and relax your jaw.
  • Moist heat, such as a warm, damp washcloth applied to your jaw, is helpful for TMJ pain.
  • Keep your tongue resting on the roof of your mouth with your teeth slightly apart. This helps you to relax a clenched jaw.

 

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Chiropractic Care for Children

The following information is provided by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. www.Icpa4kids.org    

More and more parents are seeking chiropractic care for their children. Many spinal problems seen in adults began as early as birth. Even so called “natural” birthing methods can stress an infant’s spine and developing nerve system. The resulting irritation to the nerve system caused by spinal and cranial misalignment can be the cause of many newborn health complaints. Colic, breathing problems, nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions and chronic infections can often be traced to nerve system stress.

Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked right away. As the infant grows, learning to hold up the head, sit, crawl and walk are all activities that affect spinal alignment and are important times to have a child checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic.

As the child begins to participate in regular childhood activities like skating or riding a bike, small yet significant spinal misalignments (subluxations) may occur. If neglected, the injuries during this period of rapid growth may lead to more serious problems later in life. Subtle trauma throughout childhood will affect the future development of the spine leading to impaired nervous system function. Any interference to the vital nerve system will adversely affect the body’s ability to function at its best.

One of the most common reasons parents seek care for their child is trauma from an injury of some sort. These misalignments may or may not result in immediate pain or symptoms. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify potential spinal injury from these traumas, make the correction early in life and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Proper spinal hygiene is an important key to better health.

Another sought out reason for care is the resolution of a particular symptom or condition. Parents seek care for conditions such as colic, ear infections, asthma, allergies and headaches (to name a few) because they have heard from other parents that chiropractic care can help.

It is important to understand that the Doctor of Chiropractic does not treat conditions or diseases. The expertise of the chiropractor is in checking the child’s spine for misalignments that impair nervous system function therefore affecting overall body function. The bones of the spine, the vertebrae, house and protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is an extension of the brain and carries information from the brain to the body parts and back to the brain again. Subluxations interfere with the nerves’ ability to transmit this vital information.

The nerve system controls and coordinates the function of all the systems in the body: circulatory, respiratory, digestive, hormonal, eliminative and immune system. Any aspect of health may be impaired by nerve interference. The chiropractic adjustment restores nerve system function allowing the body the ability to express a greater state of health and well-being.

The Doctor of Chiropractic will take a case history and perform a chiropractic exam to determine if spinal subluxations exist. Chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to fit a child’s size, weight, and unique spinal condition. They are both gentle and specific to the child’s developing spinal structures. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to subsequent visits. They also report that their children experience a greater level of health while under regular chiropractic care.

Once your family has experienced the many benefits of chiropractic care—please help us tell others!

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Ergonomics

er·go·nom·ics – The study of efficiency in working environments.

Many ailments can be provoked or prevented depending on how you use and position your body every day.

 “You’d better quit making that silly face, or it might get stuck that way for good.” –Aunt Creep

 

                 Somewhat of a joke and somewhat truthful; the soft tissues surrounding your spine include muscles, joints, ligaments, and intervertebral discs. These soft tissues have scientifically demonstrated what is called creep or hysteresis. This is observed when a force or pressure is applied to an area over a period of time in which the soft tissues then mold and reform to its new resting position. Not so scary when talking about a silly face, but a monster of a problem when applied to your spine. This includes cases where a patient has slouched so often for so long, that they lose the normal, healthy lordotic curvature in the lumbar and cervical spine. Or maybe a patient simply falls asleep in an awkward position, only to wake up feeling extremely stiff and restricted. A patient might habitually tuck one leg under their butt when sitting down to the point where it feels weird and uncomfortable to be sitting any other way.

            Take some time to think about what positions that you are putting your body in throughout the day (and night). Are these ideal postures for your soft tissues to be adapting to? Break up the longest periods of positioning with some range of motion exercises and stretches. If you work at a desk, seriously consider building or buying a standing workspace or at least boost your computer monitor up with some books to eye level. If you already have years of dysfunction built up from awkward positioning, choose chiropractic care to help you relieve some of that tension and teach your body a more efficient way of doing what you love to do.

Move your body,

Kelly Baltuska, DC

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Why Fish Oil?

gel capsulesEvery cell in the human body is constantly performing an elegant balancing act to manage inflammation. The food that we eat can encourage this balance in favor of either ant-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory states.

The Standard American Diet or the SAD diet is far too high in Omega-6 fatty acids. These are found in poultry, eggs, nuts, cereals, whole grains, and vegetable oils. O6 FA’s encourage a pro-inflammatory process in our cells. This is required for life but detrimental when not at a healthy balance with Omega-3 fatty acids. O3 FA’s are anti-inflammatory and are often insufficient in the SAD diet. These are found mainly in fish and seeds. The key is to have a healthy balance of both O6 and O3 FA’s. The idea ratio is 1:1.

The easiest and most affordable way to balance is by supplementing with fish oil, which is full of 03 FA’s. A daily supplement can have a profound impact on balancing this equation while providing numerous benefits including: improved cardiovascular system and healthy blood pressure, clearer skin, decreased stress, anxiety and depression, anti-cancer effects as well as calming symptoms of many chronic pathologies such as: Parkinson’s, Lupus, and Psoriasis etc. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are a must if pregnant as the benefits to a growing fetus are endless. It is also safe and extremely beneficial for kids. There are three powerful scientific studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that correlate increased Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake with reduced risk of death from ALL CAUSES!

Depending upon body weight, it is safe to consume anywhere from 1 to 8 grams of fish oil each day. The FDA recommends limiting intake to less than 10 grams a day. The most commonly noted side effect is a burp that tastes fishy. This can be easily overcome by freezing your fish oil pearls before consuming.

Have a healthy day,
Kelly Baltuska, DC

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