Chiropractic Care After a Stroke...Seriously????

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the 5th leading cause of death in the United States.  During a stroke, an interruption of blood flow to the brain occurs that results in lack of oxygen and brain tissue death.  Those that survive a stroke can have a wide range of symptoms or outcomes because of that stoke.  Some of these deficits include numbness in hands, arms, and feet, trouble with thinking and attention, paralysis on one or both sides of the body, walking difficulties, difficulty controlling emotions, and interruptions of activities of daily living such as brushing teeth, bathing, and getting dressed.
Chiropractic care can help alleviate the severity of a lot of these deficits or possibly relieve them completely.  A 58 year old man who had suffered a stroke at the age of 40 was studied while receiving chiropractic care.  His hand was involuntarily contracted and close to 100% non usability.  He needed assistance to put on his coat, was unable to exercise, and was told that these were permanent changes that he would need to "just live with."
After just 2 months of chiropractic adjustments, he was able to use that hand to turn pages in a book! 6 months after that, he had a noticeable change in his mobility and also had the ability to fully flatten his hand that just 8 months prior had been contracted.  He also was able to rejoin Pilates and was able to dress himself completely!  By allowing the body to function at full capacity, the symptoms of stroke were able to resolved to a certain degree.  What a fantastic result for someone who was told he would never live his life to the fullest following a stroke!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV

Dunton, T., DC & Pallis, R.J., DC (2017). Improvement in major residual effects of stroke following chiropractic care to reduce vertebral subluxation. A. Vertebral Subluxation Res., 2017(2), 64-71.

The Peaks and Valleys of Healing

Time and Repetition.  We all don't want to wait to heal. All good things in life take time and repetition, and so in our office we often say, "Healing comes in peaks and valleys." Often times chiropractic patients report that they are experiencing signs and symptoms that are unexpected.  Especially during the beginning of their care plans, patients may have the return of old symptoms, or even new symptoms never experienced before.  This is commonly known as a time of changes that occurs right before a "healing breakthrough."
As the function of the spine and nervous system begins to improve, there will be changes to the musculoskeletal systems.  This triggers a sort of wake-up call to nerves that have been dormant for a long period of time, sometimes even several years.  What we must remember is that the body is going through a natural healing process, and that no matter how low the valley is there will be a peak that follows.  Your body is improving and healing daily, and hold on to the fact that the peak is on the way!  We expect you to have peaks and valleys on the road to optimal health.

Your in health,
Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV



Stephenson, R.W. (1948). Chiropractic textbook.  Davenport, IA: The Palmer School of Chiropractic.

Do You Grind Your Teeth?

Between 5.9% to 49.6% of children under the age of 18 grind their teeth and/or clench their jaw at night during sleep.  There are significant links found between grinding teeth and other health issues such as headaches, migraines, anxiety, depression, aggression disorders, dental abnormalities and just plain irritability.  Not to mention the high level of annoyance it brings to anyone else who lives with a teeth grinder!  Traditional therapies for this include dental equipment and appliances, and pharmaceuticals, although their efficacy rates are not well known. 

However, we do know that subluxations or misalignments of the spine affect the function of our nervous systems.  The nervous system is responsible for the development of clenching the jaw and grinding teeth.  This leads one to believe the positive results available once you remove the subluxation of the spine with chiropractic adjustments.  A study published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, & Family Health in 2017  followed a 9 year old boy who had been a teeth grinder for over 4 years.  His grinding was so loud his parents could hear it from the next room over.  The child also had poor posture, and was not getting high quality sleep at night.

After his chiropractic examination it was revealed that the child had severe subluxations in the neck.  This resulted in the dysfunction of his nervous system and muscle imbalances.  His neck muscles were extremely tight as a result, and all of these symptoms meant poor quality of sleep for the child.  Huge improvements were made after specific chiropractic adjustments to his neck and spine.  He also showed great improvements in his posture, and because his nervous system was allowed to function properly he no longer was grinding his teeth at night.

Russell, D., BSc(Psych), BSc (Chiro). Cert TT. (2017). Reduction of sleep bruxism in a 9-year-old child receiving chiropractic care for vertebral subluxation: a case report. J. Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, 2017)4);164-168.


Yours in Health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV

Should I Take a Muscle Relaxer???

It is estimated that 75%-85% of adults are affected by back pain! This pain interferes with all areas of our lives, including recreation, family time, work, and sleep.  Over the counter pain medications such as Motrin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc along with prescription NSAIDS and muscle relaxers often are turned to in hopes of some relief for their pain.

Life University researchers performed a study to compare the use of muscle relaxer medications vs. chiropractic care.  Their results showed that chiropractic care provided overall greater effectiveness than the use of muscle relaxers.  They also showed better results with the combination of muscle relaxers and chiropractic care together over the placebo group.  The group of patients receiving chiropractic adjustments had the GREATEST improvement in "global impression of severity".

What this proves is that although there is always an availability of medication, chiropractic care and should be used as a first resort in times of pain and trauma.  And although we often seek treatment after injury or pain, the best treatment is prevention!  Seeing a chiropractor for regular care not only can prevent injuries from happening but will shorten the duration and intensity of pain after trauma.

Yours in Health,
Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV





Hoiriis, K. T., Pfleger, B., McDuffie, F.C., Cotsonis, G., Elsangak, O., Hinson, R., & Verzosa, G.T. (2004). A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Chiropractic Adjustments to Muscle Relaxants for Subacute Low Back Pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 27(6), 388-398. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2004.05.003

Gaucher Disease and Chiropractic-Is it Safe???

People suffering from Gaucher Disease are often susceptible to fractures and bone pains, including the neck and spine.  The disease is characterized by gene mutations that cause abnormal breakdown of sugar-lipid combinations in the body.  Because of this breakdown, they have an increased chance of bone fractures.  Often times patients with Gaucher Disease believe they are not a candidate for chiropractic care.  There is a common belief that chiropractic adjustments are too forceful for their delicate spines.  However, the truth couldn't be more opposite of this.  Because chiropractors specialize in specific and precise techniques, there is little to no risk for these patients.  Especially seeking a chiropractor who is trained in upper cervical care can provide much needed pain relief for those suffering with Gaucher Disease.

In 2017, a study was published following an 8-month old patient with Gaucher disease.  He was constantly sick, had chronic pain at that young of an age, and difficulty breathing, always extending his head backwards (likely as a pain response), and was diagnosed as failure to thrive.  His quality of life was poor as an infant.  His chiropractor found several subluxations throughout the neck and spine, and were adjusted often.  After only one month of receiving chiropractic care, the child had already gained control over his body, stopped extending his head backwards, and has relief in his breathing difficulties.  He appeared to be in much less pain.  What a fantastic turn around for a patient who would have been set up for a life of pain, medications, and low quality of life.

No matter what the disease is, specific chiropractic adjustments will improve the nervous system function and allow patients to live the life they have always wanted!

Yours in health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV


Callaway, L., DC, & Ray, S. L., MS. (2017). Improvement in health outcomes for an infant with type 2 Gaucher disease undergoing chiropractic care: A case report. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, 147-150.

Backpack Safety

It's back to school time!  One important thing parents often overlook is their child's spinal hygiene.  The changes of a new routine that they encounter can impact their health.  A backpack is not usually thought more than just a way to carry things to school, with children often picking their bags based on the color, design, etc.  However, it is important to help your child choose a backpack that best supports healthy spinal posture.

Did you know that the MAXIMUM healthy backpack weight is 10-15% of your child's weight? For most elementary aged kids this equals about 1-2 textbooks.  The reason that this is important is your child's developing and growing spinal joints.  Stress to these joints causes subluxations in the neck and back, leading to pain.  Adding extra weight to the backpack increases this stress placed on the nervous system.

Fit is also important when choosing a backpack. The bag should not sit lower than the waist as this increases tension load on the shoulders and drives the shoulders back while pushing the neck forward.  Also, if possible, buy a back pack with added straps at the waist and/or shoulders across the chest as this helps distribute the weight more evenly.  And as always, get your child adjusted!  Chiropractic kids are proven to miss less school days than children who do not get adjusted regularly! Have a happy and healthy school year!

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV

Lavigne, V. (2014). Weight limit recommendations in backpack use for school-aged children. J Clin Chiropr Pediatr., 14(2):1156-1159.

Can Chiropractic Save You Money?$?$?$?$

Our current healthcare system can change by the day.  With the amount of people in the country with a chronic illness, and the rising costs of healthcare to manage those chronic conditions, many people are finding it unaffordable to manage their health.  Traditionally, medical management of pain and chronic conditions require a lot of time, money, repeated prescription drugs, referrals to several doctors and specialists, diagnostic testing, diagnostic imaging, and that doesn't include the insane costs of a hospital stay.  In 1995, it was shown that 75% of people aged over 55 years had at least one chronic condition to manage.

According to a researcher at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Pran Manga, chiropractic care has benefits to your bank account.  He suggested that the "poor or worrisome health outcomes of medically managed diseases, illnesses, or injuries" have not yielded the optimal results that one often finds with chiropractic care, and the cost of mismanagement of these issues are over double than when seeking chiropractic.

Over DOUBLE! The majority opinion would say the cost of medical vs chiropractic care of an issue of back pain would be more than double, if not quadrupled!! Imagine, coming to one office for your treatment, instead of the above mentioned route of doctor, x-rays, lab, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc. Plus, when you consider the preventative benefits of chiropractic adjustments, when you seek to treat the cause of the problem, not treat the symptoms after the problem has occurred, chiropractic is the safe, gentle, and COST-EFFECTIVE choice!


Manga, P. (2000). Economic case for the integration of chiropractic services into the healthcare system.  Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 23(2), 118-122.




Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson

Owner/Doctor

MOUNTAIN ISLAND CHIROPRACTIC

10917 Black Dog Ln., Suite 101 

Charlotte, NC 28214

Tel (704) 394-8556

Fax (704) 395-8556

mtnislandchiro.com

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special." JV