Mountain Island Chiropractic: December 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019

60% of Veterans Report Chronic Pain and How Chiropractic Can Help

Chronic pain can make our lives difficult by interfering with our activities of daily living. When patients turn to medication to manage chronic pain, it may relieve symptoms by masking the pain, however it does not address the cause of the pain. Side effects of pain mediation include drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, depression, increased suicidal ideations, weakened immune system, addiction, and can have negative effects on how other systems in the body function. Unfortunately one group of people often deal with chronic pain: our nations veterans. In fact, 29%-44% of military members deployed to conflict zones in Iraq or Afghanistan reported chronic pain. According to the Veteran Health Administration, 48%-60% of their primary care patients suffer from chronic pain.
Veterans returning from duty are at an increased risk for depression and suicide and these issues are also linked highly to chronic pain. Opioid addiction and overdose numbers have continued to rise in veterans since 2010 each year. As a result of this increased need, non-pharmacological treatments for chronic pain is a necessity to help our veterans after they have sacrificed so much for our country. Among these treatments are chiropractic adjustments! Research of active duty members found that those soldiers who sought chiropractic care more often reported that when they did feel their pain, it was mild and less frequent in occurrence. Chiropractic care offers safe, gentle, specific adjustments to the neck, spine, and extremities to align the body so that it may function at its best ability. When it comes to those who sacrifice so much by serving in the military, it should be our service to them to ensure that they are well taken care of! Our veterans deserve more than just masking their symptoms, they deserve full relief of the cause of their pain!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Nicholas J. Knutson, DC

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

Emary, P. C., Brown, A. L., Cameron, D. F., & Pessoa, A. F. (2019). Chiropractic integration within a community health centre:a cost description and partial analysis of cost-utility from the perspective of the institution. J Can Chiropr Assoc 2019, 63(2), 64-79.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Everybody Poops! But not often enough...

Bowel movements shouldn't be complicated-they are a standard process for the human body! Our bodies are designed beautifully and intricately; all processes interact with one another and have very specific functions. However, sometimes our bodies "wires" get crossed in our nervous system, which leads to a lack of optimal functioning. Current research is highlighting the importance of the "gut-brain relationship." Meaning, the health of your gut is in direct correlation to your brain health. Diseases are being traced back to our digestive tract and it appears that as we clean up our gut health, issues begin to fade or even become non-existent.
The number one most common thing in all patients that I see on a daily basis is constipation. Even when patients state that they "go regularly," it is apparent on x-ray analysis that the intestines are backed up with feces, and they don't even know it! Bowel movements should happen at least once per day, with the stool consistently being soft yet formed with easy elimination (no straining). Approximately 8-9% of the over 2 billion people that suffer from constipation have functional constipation. This means that there are no specific factors found from a medical standpoint as to why they are constipated. Other causes of constipation include medication side effects, not enough water intake, low activity level, chronic stress, low fiber in your diet, and neurological interference. When subluxations are present in the neck and spine, the signals sent down the nervous system to the gut are interfered with, and dysfunction results. Gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and specific adjustments to the sacrum all remove interference to those nerves that send the signals that regulate bowel movements.
Chiropractic care can help relieve constipation in people of all ages. Often times in infants, it only takes one adjustment to the pelvis for them to have a bowel movement and often it is instantaneous! Chiropractic adjustments are safe and effective for everyone!

Yours in Health,