50% Reduction of Headaches With Chiropractic Care!

On average 157 million days of work are missed each year due to headaches.  Although they are extremely common, headaches are not normal.  There are even millions of people who suffer from headaches on a daily basis.  It can be exhausting to find treatment options for those who suffer from headaches.  Researchers are constantly looking at alternative solutions for headache patients that differ from taking medications.  The Spine Journal published a study recently proving a 50% reduction in headaches of individuals with chronic headaches.  The 6-week study followed patients who sought routine chiropractic care.  These patients all saw a decrease in headache days by half!  What was even more startling however, was that there was no plateau in improvement in the patients. The people who had more visits with the chiropractor had the most improvements, and the longer they continued with chiropractic adjustments, the more improvement they saw!
Different types of headaches including sinus, cluster, tension, and migraines all have seen improvements with chiropractic care. By realigning the vertebrae in the neck, pressure and irritation of the nerves are removed and blood flow will return to normal.  This allows the body to function properly.  We see acute and chronic headache patients daily in our office with fabulous results!  Schedule your consultation to find the root cause of your headaches to allow your body to function at its optimal potential!


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


Mitchell Haas, Gert Brandrot, Roni Evans, Craig Schulz, Darcy Vavrek, Leslie Takaki, Linda Hanson, Brent Leininger, Moni B. Neradilek, Dose-response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for care of cervicogenic headache: a dual-center randomized controlled trial, The Spine Journal (2018). http://sci-hub.tw/10.1016/j.spine.2018.02.019.

Epigenetics...How Your Choices Will Affect Your Children and Grandchildren

In 1953, the DNA double helix was discovered by Watson and Crick, and since then, science has been studying the effects of nature (our genetics) and nurture (our environment) and their effects on our development.  Although the scientific model is constantly changing, the most current research is showing that our genes are not guaranteeing a predetermination of how our health will be.  Rather, our environment and our perception of that environment controls the activity of our genes via a term deemed "epigenetic control."
This brings up the concept that every health choice we make today not only affects our lives currently, but the lives of our children and grandchildren.  Our environment includes factors such as nutrition, behavior, stress, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, spinal adjustments, prescription and illegal drug use, working habits, sleep patterns, and stress management.  How we choose to balance these factors greatly affects how our genes will be controlled.  In other words, lifestyle choices can either bring forth certain genes or suppress others.  If your family history contains heart disease, environmental factors such as nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management can help prevent heart disease in you or your grandchildren by changing your DNA structure.  Choosing to get adjusted regularly as far fetched as it may sound, can have a significant impact on your genes and therefore change the epigenetic of your children in the future.  Because chiropractic care improves the function of your nervous system, this can influence your body's ability for DNA repair and maintenance.  This then allows for adaptation to physical, chemical, and emotional stressors to our mind and bodies.
Epigenetics can be an overwhelming concept.  However, understanding that our daily choices affect our health can start you on the road to health to be continued by generations to come.  Want more information???? Call us today!

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

Kent, C., DC Esq. (2013, January 01). Legacy and Lifestyle: Epigenetics and the Potential for Chiropractic. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.p;hp?id=56303

Chiropractic Care Provides Relief for Crohn's

Crohn's disease is an autoimmune bowel disease that can affect any part of your digestive system.  There is currently no cure for crohn's, and no treatment plan has seemed to be successful for all patients suffering from it.  New research is shedding light on the possibility that crohn's disease stems from an altered immune response in genetically susceptible individuals that leads to improper development of normal bacteria in the gut.  It is estimated that over 1.4 million American's suffer from crohn's, and it seems to affect males and females equally.  Also, 75% of people with the disease will undergo surgery to attempt to correct it, with over 38% of those patients having a crohn's flareup within the first year after having that surgery!
However, it is constantly being researched how chiropractic care can help alleviate some of the symptoms and minimize the frequency of crohn's flareups.  A 2018 published case study followed a 60-year old male crohn's patient who had been experiencing abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, generalized body stiffness, and what he described as an overall "sick" feeling.  His chiropractor examined him and found vertebral subluxations, which is an interference in the nervous systems' ability to regulate and coordinate every organ, cell, and tissue in the body. In this particular case study, the man received specific chiropractic adjustments to correct those subluxations and found great relief in his crohn's disease.  He even ceased the need for medications after seeing his chiropractor for a 3 month period.  Because nerve interference from subluxations found in the spine can affect the brain's ability to control both the digestive organs and the immune system, chiropractic adjustments to those subluxations often result in relief of ailments.
While chiropractic care does not "treat" symptoms, it helps the body to heal and function the way it was designed to do by removing the blockages or interferences in your nervous system.  Removing these along with changing your gut bacteria can help patients suffering with crohn's disease find relief that they so desperately need!

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


Phillips, M.A., DC, & Wilt, T.B., DC. (2018). Complete Remission of Crohn's Disease Following Subluxation Centered Chiropractic Care:A Case Report & Review of the Literature. A. Vertebral Subluxation Res., 2018(1), 38-47.

Heart Rate Variability May Be the Key To Aging Fit!

"The primary objective of chiropractic care is to optimize health and well-being through the enhancement of nervous system function by reducing nerve interference caused by vertebral subluxations." While that may be the objective, most chiropractors also seek to repeatedly measure and prove it as well.  Have you ever exercised and watched your heart rate?  With all of the fit bits, watches, and heart rate monitors, it is easier than ever to have our data during exercise.  But have you ever heard of heart rate variability?  It differs greatly than just watching your heart rate before, during, and after exercise.  All over the world, chiropractors, exercise physiologists, and cardiologists are assessing their patients functions by measuring heart rate variability.  It is even being used to predict illness in elite level athletes.
Heart rate variability in general terms determines that when you have more variability in between beats of your heart, the healthier and more fit you are.  The more variability means that your cardiac system is reacting well to the changes in your body during exercise, such as the changes in oxygenation when you inhale and exhale.  Heart rate variability also indicates whether your central nervous system is in a fight or flight mode (low variation) or a rest and repair mode (high variation).  As seen in the chart above, the sympathetic nervous system is what most people now are in a constant overdrive setting.  Meaning, we are so chronically stressed, that we even think our exercise has to be so intense for a long period of time that we never give our heart rate time to recover, and therefore actually do more harm than good while exercising.  This can be damaging to our nervous system which leads to illness and disease.
Chiropractors in Australia looked to quantify exactly how heart rate variability can change or improve with chiropractic care.  Their study followed patients over the course of 10 to 52 weeks and saw major improvements in their heart rate variability.  Just like eating right, exercising, and proper sleep, chiropractic care keeps the body functioning at its best, allowing for a long, healthy, and fit life.  Have questions about heart rate variability or want it explained in more detail?  Schedule with us to improve this often overlooked aspect of our health!

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

Haas, A. L., PhD, DC, & Russell, D, BSc(Psych), BSc(Chiro), Cer TT. SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT OF HEART RATE VARIABILITY IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING A PROGRAM OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE:A RETROSPECTIVE CASE SERIES. Clinical Journal of Australia, 45(4). 339-358.

What Happens When We "FAINT"????

Have you ever fainted?  It is estimated that nearly 40% of adults in America have experienced a fainting episode.  There can be several causes for fainting, but in short, fainting or syncope as it is called happens because of a sudden drop in blood pressure.  The majority of the time syncope happens because of a neurological reflex (which controls the blood pressure).  The vagus nerve, which controls things such as heart rate, heart rhythm, digestive functions, vascular tone, and regulates insulin is involved in these syncopal episodes.  The diagram above lists some of the many responsibilities of this amazing nerve.
The vagus nerve flows from the brain stem through the atlas bone (the top cervical bone in your neck).  Therefore, any tiny subluxation of the atlas or axis bones in your neck can have an enormous impact on any of the regulatory tasks of the vagus nerve.  Imagine a subluxation as a pressure point or impairment on the vagus nerve that then interrupts the flow of the nerve down to your vital organs. When these interruptions are not corrected, the body's natural reflex is to lower blood pressure and then fainting occurs.
A case study published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research followed a 57-year old female who had been fainting regularly for 20 years whenever she would turn her head to the left.  She tried numerous solutions for 20 years and still fainted often.  She then turned to chiropractic and her physician found a significant subluxation in her upper neck.  This subluxation was affecting the flow of the vagus nerve.  She was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope.  The amazing outcome of this woman's case after specific chiropractic adjustments to the upper cervical bones resulted in no fainting episodes.  A complete healing after 20 years of fainting!  In our office, we specialize in  upper cervical adjustments just like what this woman received.  20 years of suffering gone while under chiropractic care!  The human body is an amazing thing!

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



Friedman, R., DC, & Friedman, A., DC. (2018). Resolution of Vasovagal Syncope (VVS) Following Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Study & Review of the Literature. J. Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, 2018, 1-12.

Spinal Stenosis

Did you know that back pain is the second most common reason that a person visits their doctor in the United States?  Back pain is a broad category, and therefore many many reasons can cause it.  Often times you may hear terminology such as spinal stenosis, disc herniation, sciatica, cervical pain, bulging or slipped discs when doctors diagnose your back pain.  Spinal stenosis is common cause of back pain.  It is often seen in older populations.  When spinal stenosis is present, the space in which the nerve and vascular tissue narrow.  This can be from shifting bone structures or thickening of ligaments.  The picture above shows a typical case of spinal stenosis.
Common symptoms of spinal stenosis present as low back pain that can radiate down into the buttocks and legs.  Sensory symptoms can also present as numbness, tingling, muscle fatigue, muscle weakness, or a pins and needles sense in the toes.  Often times patients are put on narcotics, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory medications, or have surgery to try and relieve their pain.
The great news for patients suffering from spinal stenosis is that chiropractic treatments have been proven to alleviate pain and suffering!  A study from the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine followed a 76 year old man who had moderate to severe spinal stenosis.  He had been suffering for many many years.  It only took 12 chiropractic adjustments to fully alleviate his pain!  By removing the subluxations in his neck and spine, the body was able to heal the spinal stenosis.  We see patients every single day get better and full relief of spinal stenosis in our office who thought they'd be on medication their entire lives or worse have surgery.


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

Stuber, L., Sajko, S., and Kristmanson, K. "Chiropractic Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis:A Review of the Literature." Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. (June 2009): 8(2) 77-85. 

Be Good to Your Heart Thru Checking Your Spine!

It's February which means a lot of awareness is being brought to our heart health!  Did you know that your brain controls your heart?  Meaning, that the brain controls and regulates every system in your entire body by way of the nervous system.  Located at the lower part of your brain stem lies your medulla oblongata.  This complicated part of your brain is in charge of controlling all functions that are involuntary.  This includes a wide range of tasks such as regulating blood pressure, vomiting, sneezing, heart rate, and breathing.  We don't have to give a conscious thought to have these tasks performed, as our medulla oblongata regulates these without us being aware of how hard it is working.
Because the medulla oblongata sits in close proximity to the C1 vertebrae, great improvements in patients blood pressure are seen with chiropractic care specifically to that vertebrae.  When out of alignment or subluxated, the C1 vertebrae can put pressure on the nerves coming from the medulla oblongata and therefore have a negative effect on blood pressure, causing it to be too high or in some cases too low.
In 2014, a randomized control study measured the effectiveness of correcting these subluxations to the C1 vertebrae in patients with high blood pressure (hypertension).  The results showed IMMEDIATE changes in hypertension for both the systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers of blood pressure.  Whats even better is that these hypertensive patients saw lasting results in their blood pressure for over 4-6 weeks post adjustments.  According to the American Heart Association website over 77.9 million people or 1 out of every  3 adults have high blood pressure.  This costs the United States on average nearly $46 BILLION dollars each year.  And most of these patients are on more than one antihypertensive medication!  Wow, imagine if chiropractic care could substitute for some of those patients!
Be good to your heart, get your spine checked today!

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

Toms, S. DC. (2014). Reduction in Arterial Blood Pressure Following Adjustment of Atlas to Correct Vertebral Subluxation:A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. J Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, 2014(3), 54-60.