So, this is now a thing that you purposely buy ugly sweaters. A few years ago, Mrs. Spine was at a store looking to buy an ugly sweater for a holiday party and chose one that she thought was perfectly ugly. While in line a lady comes in right behind her holding the same sweater. She excitedly proclaims “Isn’t it beautiful? I am getting it for my daughter in law.” Now as you walk through stores there are ugly sweaters everywhere and I am pretty sure my mother seriously bought me one of those exact ones in 1984 thinking it was cool!
Point of view is a funny thing. Something that one-person thinks is second nature another thinks is out of the question. This is the same with chiropractic. There are some that have been seeing chiropractors for years. Chiropractors have been longtime trusted providers for the entire family. Some have never been and do not know anything about chiropractors. Well it’s time to tell your friends about your chiropractor.
Don’t let them wait for a medical provider to refer them. There was a time when Doctors used to refer you to specialist that they knew, liked and trusted. Now with consolidation and private practice takeover by big hospital systems, referrals (and most all other aspects of your care) have been taken over by the bean counters.
But you still have a choice! You can see whoever you want, like me. I’m my own guy (my wife isn’t reading this is she?). You can choose a provider that will listen, that looks for the cause and finds a long-term solution, with availability and with customer service. Choose chiropractic.
Everyone is exposed to stress whether it is emotional, physical or environmental. I’m having an emergency, I am really busy, My _____ is driving me crazy (Mrs. Spine wrote this, so I know she doesn’t mean me). You get the point. But all stress, no matter how it starts or how severe, big or small, manifests itself in a physical manner. You may or may not feel it as sore muscles, tightness, restless sleep, cravings to eat (or drink), headaches, pain, etc. Over time these physical manifestations can cause weakness in your body where injuries and pain can occur.
77% of people regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress
33% feel they are living with extreme stress
48% feel their stress has increased over past 5 years
48% reported lying awake at night due to stress
So what do you do?
Many people like to ignore it. We all know that when you ignore something, it doesn’t go away. It just gets worse until you are forced to do something. So in reality we have two options be counter-intuitive or be proactive.
Being counter-intuitive means not giving in to what you think helps you cope. That means no or at least much less caffeine, sugar, alcohol, junk food etc. Sure, it might be a temporary fix that will make you feel better immediately; yet all these boost cortisol production, which is already being produced by your body in response to stress. In other words, it’s just getting worse long-term.
Being proactive entails regular exercise, regular massage, regular acupuncture, regular adjustments, 7 hours of real sleep and good nutrition. This will ensure your body is in good enough shape to handle the stress.
https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.png00BCwebDev48https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.pngBCwebDev482019-01-07 11:53:522019-01-07 11:53:52Stress Should be a Four Letter Word
Football season is upon us, and a topic of interest as of late is concussions. These injuries occur in all age groups; from high school athletes to professional NFL players. Continued head trauma has been shown to be detrimental for brain and spinal health. Football demands consistent head to head contact, and with this excessive contact brain and neck injuries can occur. In addition to concussions, head to head trauma can cause: headaches, cervical sprains and strains, and disc herniation.
Treatment for these injuries is possible. Cervical chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be helpful for all of these injuries. Additionally, myofascial therapy in conjunction with chiropractic care has been shown to be a superior treatment plan for head and neck injuries.
While it is possible to recover from these injuries, prevention is the best way to combat them. The best way to prevent these injuries is to use sufficient head protection and taking adequate precautions to head trauma. It is important to replace a helmet every 2 to 3 years to maintain sufficient protection.
Football isn’t the only sport that utilizes a helmet. With the winter season upon us, the winter sports come with it. The use of helmets by those who ski and snowboard is a must. Whether you are a casual skier or an aggressive snowboarder who visits the terrain parks, head injuries can occur. A slip and fall on ice can be detrimental for winter athletes. Use of helmets can help prevent these injuries and keep your head warm.
Happy Day of the Dead everyone! When I lived in the San Antonio region as a younger man, Dia de Muertos was more popular than Halloween. This is a widely known celebration in Mexico and other Mexican influenced regions of the Southwest. Crazy thing is, earlier when I lived just 200 miles to the east outside of Houston I had never heard of it. Similarly having lived for 15+ years off and on, on the Texas Gulf Coast, home to most of the off-season blue crabs, never had a steamed one till I moved here.
It all comes down to familiarity and what you’re used to. Even though chiropractors have been around for a long time now (some say spinal manipulation dates back to Aristotle), not everyone is all that familiar with us. You should be though. If I included every study showing how cool we were in this email, I’d crash your server. Sure, there are nay-sayers; but they’re mostly jealous haters and weirdos (like us Texans that would clean then boil our crabs in pieces).
So don’t be weird, if it hurts, call your chiropractor. If it doesn’t work, call your chiropractor. If you need physical therapy, call this chiropractor and for DOT exams, you guessed it.
https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.png00BCwebDev48https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.pngBCwebDev482018-11-02 11:39:112018-11-02 11:39:11Day of the Dead
So in a last hurrah for the end of summer we took the kids to an unnamed but local chocolate themed park that shall remain nameless.
The Thrill Seeker
As a younger man, I was quite the thrill seeker, but as I’ve grown older and wiser my disdain for thrill rides and their associated lines with $8 flat, watered down sodas has exponentially kept pace; but the things we do for our kids, right? Well, like every other day this past summer, it rained that day. We took a dinner break and the girl’s friends and ride seat partners weren’t as brave as us and bailed for warmer, dryer land; leaving only Mrs. Spine to accompany them on the “The Neck Sprainer” or whatever it was called. I watched from below as longtime fans will remember I was still suffering from an auto accident-related concussion.
Mrs. Spine
Well, like many untrained spouses, I mean patients, instead of letting me know about it right away and have me treat it soon so it’s quick and easy, she decided to wait it out and let it fester. Just a little soreness turned to spasm which turned to headaches. Low back stiffness turned to pain then turned to skipping 2 weeks of yoga.
Be the Cool Kid
Everyone gets these small injuries. Sometimes the symptoms are immediate, sometimes weeks later, sometimes years later. What can you do? I’d say never ride a roller coaster again, but you’re much more likely to injure yourself vacuuming than riding rides. Coming to see us when you are not in terrible pain can heal the injuries before they get bad (or crazy idea-BEFORE you even feel anything). Just like most people do not only see a dentist when they have tooth pain; or take their blood pressure meds after a heart attack, they go before. Most in fact, go to the dentist biannually in a preventative or wellness manner. The cool kids also go to the chiropractor on a regular, preventative plan too. Be cool, just like me.
My oldest just finished up taking Driver’s Ed. According to her, the class was just about all the many ways you can have an accident. Like Forrest Gump says, it happens.
So the other day I was stopped at a red light at a major intersection. When the light turned green the car in front of me did not move, nor did I; but the car behind me did, and did so with haste. The Bumper is jacked up, trunk won’t shut right but it is still drivable. A minor accident however does not mean there is no injury. My head struck the head rest giving me a headache almost immediately. Over the next few minutes, hours and days the symptoms of a mild concussion, as well as muscle stiffness in neck, back and left knee settled in.
It has been proven time and time again that there is no direct correlation between the severity of the property damage and the severity of the physical injuries sustained in an auto accident. Injuries can and do occur with little property damage, especially in rear end collisions. This is because an injury such as whiplash affects the soft tissues, ligaments, and tendons which are often injured when force is applied.
According to a study commissioned by General Motors (GM), whiplash can occur in car accidents at speeds of less than 8 miles per hour. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries if left untreated can cause medical problems for years following the accident.
As with all other injuries and illnesses, the key is early treatment, to not only limit the pain and disability, but to ward off future issues. Immediately following my accident, I treated with ice and continued to do so for the next 36 hours. The next morning, I began with therapy at my office, including electric muscle stim and Range of Motion exercises to help the muscle issues. For the concussion, I began active rehab including vestibular exercises. Chiropractic adjustments and massage have also been key for me. Our associate is not only my employee, he is my chiropractor. He has been adjusting me multiple times a week since the accident.
I am happy to say treatment worked! Symptoms of the concussion have subsided, pain and stiffness in the back has decreased and my treatment frequency has been able to decrease. Don’t let the insurance company, your Facebook friends or your husband’s brother’s uncle tell you you’re not hurt when you are. If you’ve been involved in an accident, call today! (443) 512-0025
The following is a guest blog by an employee of Susquehanna Spine & Rehab…
“Headaches are always the worst,” said Amanda.
No matter who you are, you’ve had at least one headache. The crazy part is that not all headaches are the same. Headaches can be occasional or frequent. Some are dull and throbbing and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. They can be light or sound sensitive. I literally have lived off Excedrin this past year. Every morning I woke up with a throbbing headache that would not go away no matter what I tried. Excedrin was the only thing I found to work. I carried a 120-capsule bottle everywhere with me. I know that sounds crazy, but it was the only way to tolerate the pain and make it through the day recently.
What changed? I started working at Susquehanna Spine & Rehab. I have been working for Dr. Lee for about 6 months now and 4 of those 6 months I have been headache free. At the beginning, I would wake up with a headache and take Excedrin and go about my day. One day, I forgot the bottle at home and I was completely miserable. It felt like my head was about to explode. I was trying to grin and bear it until Mrs. Wendy said. “Go get adjusted.” I kid you not; Dr. Lee adjusted me and immediately the headache I’ve been living with just disappeared. I literally could not believe it. Not everyone believes in chiropractors and I admit to being a little skeptical until that moment. I now get adjusted regularly, no Excedrin needed. I guess my head wasn’t on straight as Dr. Lee says all the time.
Just as there are many types of headaches, there are just as many different treatments for headaches. As with most things, all treatment plans need to start with a thorough exam and diagnosis. At that point Dr. Lee can prescribe the best path for you. Be it chiropractic care to restore alignment and mobility to pain generating joints of your head and neck, massage and physical therapy to treat ailing muscles or even acupuncture. The goal is to stop the headaches or migraines, heal the area, and prevent them from happening. So if you’re getting constant headaches like I was don’t just take medication. Try and get to the source of the headache and fix it. You so you can be headache free too.
https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.png00BCwebDev48https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.pngBCwebDev482018-09-05 13:54:582018-09-05 13:54:58Headaches Are Always the Worst
My uncle’s knee can better predict rain than the weather channel. Many of you may have noticed this past month that their joints have been a little off too. Joints that move are called synovial joints. Inside the synovial joints is synovial fluid, it’s similar lithium or bearing grease. The viscosity of Synovial fluid is sensitive to barometric pressure. As we age (it’s not always the model year, sometimes it’s the mileage) we lose fluid and our joint spaces will also start to shrink, compounding the problem. So grandma might not be all that crazy after all.
So what do we do?
We can either petition Moulder and Scully to find who’s controlling the weather, or take better care of our joints.
What is the best way to take care of joints?
Number one chiropractic adjustments create healthy joints. Make sure you eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation also affects the viscosity of synovial fluid. An anti-inflammation diet is high in vegetable proteins and Omega 3 fatty acids. Acupuncture can also be sued to reduce internal, systemic inflammation like. Cold laser is phenomenal in calming down aggravated joints. These are all great tools for joint all over the body. Joints of the spine are a little special as they have discs between them.
What is good for spinal joints affected by low viscous synovium?
Decompression traditionally is used to treat herniated, bulged, degenerative or torn discs and pinched nerves. It work by providing relief to severe back and neck pain sufferers by gently reducing the pressure within the spine creating a vacuum that reduces or reverses bulging, degenerative or herniated discs taking pressure off the joints and any “pinched” nerves. This vacuum also pulls much-needed oxygen, nutrients and fluid into injured and degenerated discs allowing the healing to begin. The treatment is computer controlled to provide gentle and painless oscillations. These oscillations also circulate synovium fluid keeping it operating at optimum temperature and pressure.
Coming soon…Coming in the next few weeks we are getting a new decompression table loaded with the newest protocols and algorithms. We are updating the older one too, so it’ll be up to date, and have room for your friends to come with. The newer table allows for many more treatment positions making it more comfortable and ergonomic for patients of all mobility and positional limitations and acute stages.
So if you would like to be surprised when it rains and turn off your body’s weather vain give our office a call on (443) 512-0025
Anyone that listens to me, so that excludes my wife, kids, dogs and employees; has heard me mention that along with Chiropractic & Physical Therapy, I am a Nationally Registered Certified Medical Examiner for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation (NRCME-FMCSA-DOT, obviously a government job with all those letters). Meaning, I do truck driver physicals or commonly referred to as DOT physicals.
Who needs a DOT medical card?
Everyone that has a CDL, regardless of class must have a DOT medical card. In Maryland, because Maryland is Maryland; anyone who operates a vehicle over 10,000 lbs. for commercial purposes must also have a DOT card, regardless if you cross state lines or not. If you drive a F250 or similar vehicle you need a DOT card. If you operate any vehicle over 10,000 lbs. registered to a company, you need a medical card.
Why require a medical card?
The whole point of the card is to ensure those operating large vehicles do not have a medical condition that may lead to immediate incapacitate. The main goal is reducing potential for a truck to become an involuntary weapon of mass destruction.
There are strict federal regulations regarding who qualities for DOT cards. There are exclusions, federal exemptions, and releases from specials that may apply.
Few tips to make your DOT go smoother
If you’re on high blood pressure meds, take them. If you’re on metformin, take it. If you have a CPAP, use it; it’s all tested for. If you’ve ever had a heart attack, stroke or any type of cardiovascular surgery, there’s a wait period and you must provide documentation. Come with a full bladder because you WILL have to pee in a cup. And don’t lie, they’ll toss you in jail.
They say sitting is the new smoking. I’m old enough that I remember smoking sections in restaurants and on planes that were nothing more than just the next aisle over. I’m probably even old enough that my mom’s OB told her which brand of cigarettes to smoke when she was pregnant (that’d explain my brother). While I don’t think that they’ll start instituting no sitting areas, make employees go outside in the dead of winter to have sit breaks; I do though think we should get off our rumps a bit more.
Sitting leads to forward head posture, elongation and deactivation of the spinal muscles, reduced hip flexion, deregulation of the glutes, short hamstrings, shoulder rotation and short pectoral muscles. All of which leads to about 1000 different physical ailments. Sitting also influences biomarkers of obesity, heart and other chronic diseases.
Try the following:
If when you look in the mirror and your posture appears to be “off” it’s time to take a trip to my office and get the professional help you need.
https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.png00BCwebDev48https://susquespine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Susquehanna-Spine-and-Rehab_340x156px_REV1-300x138.pngBCwebDev482018-08-09 05:12:572018-08-09 05:12:57They say Sitting is the New Smoking
The ugly sweater…
So, this is now a thing that you purposely buy ugly sweaters. A few years ago, Mrs. Spine was at a store looking to buy an ugly sweater for a holiday party and chose one that she thought was perfectly ugly. While in line a lady comes in right behind her holding the same sweater. She excitedly proclaims “Isn’t it beautiful? I am getting it for my daughter in law.” Now as you walk through stores there are ugly sweaters everywhere and I am pretty sure my mother seriously bought me one of those exact ones in 1984 thinking it was cool!
Point of view is a funny thing. Something that one-person thinks is second nature another thinks is out of the question. This is the same with chiropractic. There are some that have been seeing chiropractors for years. Chiropractors have been longtime trusted providers for the entire family. Some have never been and do not know anything about chiropractors. Well it’s time to tell your friends about your chiropractor.
Don’t let them wait for a medical provider to refer them. There was a time when Doctors used to refer you to specialist that they knew, liked and trusted. Now with consolidation and private practice takeover by big hospital systems, referrals (and most all other aspects of your care) have been taken over by the bean counters.
But you still have a choice! You can see whoever you want, like me. I’m my own guy (my wife isn’t reading this is she?). You can choose a provider that will listen, that looks for the cause and finds a long-term solution, with availability and with customer service. Choose chiropractic.
Stress Should be a Four Letter Word
Concussions
Football season is upon us, and a topic of interest as of late is concussions. These injuries occur in all age groups; from high school athletes to professional NFL players. Continued head trauma has been shown to be detrimental for brain and spinal health. Football demands consistent head to head contact, and with this excessive contact brain and neck injuries can occur. In addition to concussions, head to head trauma can cause: headaches, cervical sprains and strains, and disc herniation.
Treatment for these injuries is possible. Cervical chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be helpful for all of these injuries. Additionally, myofascial therapy in conjunction with chiropractic care has been shown to be a superior treatment plan for head and neck injuries.
While it is possible to recover from these injuries, prevention is the best way to combat them. The best way to prevent these injuries is to use sufficient head protection and taking adequate precautions to head trauma. It is important to replace a helmet every 2 to 3 years to maintain sufficient protection.
Football isn’t the only sport that utilizes a helmet. With the winter season upon us, the winter sports come with it. The use of helmets by those who ski and snowboard is a must. Whether you are a casual skier or an aggressive snowboarder who visits the terrain parks, head injuries can occur. A slip and fall on ice can be detrimental for winter athletes. Use of helmets can help prevent these injuries and keep your head warm.
Other ways to get a Concussion
· Indoor & outdoor soccer from heading the ball.
· Cheerleaders and dancers from falls.
· Anyone from an auto accident.
· Bikers (always wear a helmet)
· Skateboarders
Day of the Dead
The Dead Are Alive
Happy Day of the Dead everyone! When I lived in the San Antonio region as a younger man, Dia de Muertos was more popular than Halloween. This is a widely known celebration in Mexico and other Mexican influenced regions of the Southwest. Crazy thing is, earlier when I lived just 200 miles to the east outside of Houston I had never heard of it. Similarly having lived for 15+ years off and on, on the Texas Gulf Coast, home to most of the off-season blue crabs, never had a steamed one till I moved here.
It all comes down to familiarity and what you’re used to. Even though chiropractors have been around for a long time now (some say spinal manipulation dates back to Aristotle), not everyone is all that familiar with us. You should be though. If I included every study showing how cool we were in this email, I’d crash your server. Sure, there are nay-sayers; but they’re mostly jealous haters and weirdos (like us Texans that would clean then boil our crabs in pieces).
So don’t be weird, if it hurts, call your chiropractor. If it doesn’t work, call your chiropractor. If you need physical therapy, call this chiropractor and for DOT exams, you guessed it.
Last Summer Hurrah!
So in a last hurrah for the end of summer we took the kids to an unnamed but local chocolate themed park that shall remain nameless.
The Thrill Seeker
As a younger man, I was quite the thrill seeker, but as I’ve grown older and wiser my disdain for thrill rides and their associated lines with $8 flat, watered down sodas has exponentially kept pace; but the things we do for our kids, right? Well, like every other day this past summer, it rained that day. We took a dinner break and the girl’s friends and ride seat partners weren’t as brave as us and bailed for warmer, dryer land; leaving only Mrs. Spine to accompany them on the “The Neck Sprainer” or whatever it was called. I watched from below as longtime fans will remember I was still suffering from an auto accident-related concussion.
Mrs. Spine
Well, like many untrained spouses, I mean patients, instead of letting me know about it right away and have me treat it soon so it’s quick and easy, she decided to wait it out and let it fester. Just a little soreness turned to spasm which turned to headaches. Low back stiffness turned to pain then turned to skipping 2 weeks of yoga.
Be the Cool Kid
Everyone gets these small injuries. Sometimes the symptoms are immediate, sometimes weeks later, sometimes years later. What can you do? I’d say never ride a roller coaster again, but you’re much more likely to injure yourself vacuuming than riding rides. Coming to see us when you are not in terrible pain can heal the injuries before they get bad (or crazy idea-BEFORE you even feel anything). Just like most people do not only see a dentist when they have tooth pain; or take their blood pressure meds after a heart attack, they go before. Most in fact, go to the dentist biannually in a preventative or wellness manner. The cool kids also go to the chiropractor on a regular, preventative plan too. Be cool, just like me.
It Happens
So the other day I was stopped at a red light at a major intersection. When the light turned green the car in front of me did not move, nor did I; but the car behind me did, and did so with haste. The Bumper is jacked up, trunk won’t shut right but it is still drivable. A minor accident however does not mean there is no injury. My head struck the head rest giving me a headache almost immediately. Over the next few minutes, hours and days the symptoms of a mild concussion, as well as muscle stiffness in neck, back and left knee settled in.
It has been proven time and time again that there is no direct correlation between the severity of the property damage and the severity of the physical injuries sustained in an auto accident. Injuries can and do occur with little property damage, especially in rear end collisions. This is because an injury such as whiplash affects the soft tissues, ligaments, and tendons which are often injured when force is applied.
According to a study commissioned by General Motors (GM), whiplash can occur in car accidents at speeds of less than 8 miles per hour. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries if left untreated can cause medical problems for years following the accident.
As with all other injuries and illnesses, the key is early treatment, to not only limit the pain and disability, but to ward off future issues. Immediately following my accident, I treated with ice and continued to do so for the next 36 hours. The next morning, I began with therapy at my office, including electric muscle stim and Range of Motion exercises to help the muscle issues. For the concussion, I began active rehab including vestibular exercises. Chiropractic adjustments and massage have also been key for me. Our associate is not only my employee, he is my chiropractor. He has been adjusting me multiple times a week since the accident.
I am happy to say treatment worked! Symptoms of the concussion have subsided, pain and stiffness in the back has decreased and my treatment frequency has been able to decrease. Don’t let the insurance company, your Facebook friends or your husband’s brother’s uncle tell you you’re not hurt when you are. If you’ve been involved in an accident, call today! (443) 512-0025
Headaches Are Always the Worst
The following is a guest blog by an employee of Susquehanna Spine & Rehab…
“Headaches are always the worst,” said Amanda.
No matter who you are, you’ve had at least one headache. The crazy part is that not all headaches are the same. Headaches can be occasional or frequent. Some are dull and throbbing and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. They can be light or sound sensitive. I literally have lived off Excedrin this past year. Every morning I woke up with a throbbing headache that would not go away no matter what I tried. Excedrin was the only thing I found to work. I carried a 120-capsule bottle everywhere with me. I know that sounds crazy, but it was the only way to tolerate the pain and make it through the day recently.
What changed? I started working at Susquehanna Spine & Rehab. I have been working for Dr. Lee for about 6 months now and 4 of those 6 months I have been headache free. At the beginning, I would wake up with a headache and take Excedrin and go about my day. One day, I forgot the bottle at home and I was completely miserable. It felt like my head was about to explode. I was trying to grin and bear it until Mrs. Wendy said. “Go get adjusted.” I kid you not; Dr. Lee adjusted me and immediately the headache I’ve been living with just disappeared. I literally could not believe it. Not everyone believes in chiropractors and I admit to being a little skeptical until that moment. I now get adjusted regularly, no Excedrin needed. I guess my head wasn’t on straight as Dr. Lee says all the time.
Just as there are many types of headaches, there are just as many different treatments for headaches. As with most things, all treatment plans need to start with a thorough exam and diagnosis. At that point Dr. Lee can prescribe the best path for you. Be it chiropractic care to restore alignment and mobility to pain generating joints of your head and neck, massage and physical therapy to treat ailing muscles or even acupuncture. The goal is to stop the headaches or migraines, heal the area, and prevent them from happening. So if you’re getting constant headaches like I was don’t just take medication. Try and get to the source of the headache and fix it. You so you can be headache free too.
Joint pain
My uncle’s knee can better predict rain than the weather channel. Many of you may have noticed this past month that their joints have been a little off too. Joints that move are called synovial joints. Inside the synovial joints is synovial fluid, it’s similar lithium or bearing grease. The viscosity of Synovial fluid is sensitive to barometric pressure. As we age (it’s not always the model year, sometimes it’s the mileage) we lose fluid and our joint spaces will also start to shrink, compounding the problem. So grandma might not be all that crazy after all.
So what do we do?
We can either petition Moulder and Scully to find who’s controlling the weather, or take better care of our joints.
What is the best way to take care of joints?
Number one chiropractic adjustments create healthy joints. Make sure you eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation also affects the viscosity of synovial fluid. An anti-inflammation diet is high in vegetable proteins and Omega 3 fatty acids. Acupuncture can also be sued to reduce internal, systemic inflammation like. Cold laser is phenomenal in calming down aggravated joints. These are all great tools for joint all over the body. Joints of the spine are a little special as they have discs between them.
What is good for spinal joints affected by low viscous synovium?
Decompression traditionally is used to treat herniated, bulged, degenerative or torn discs and pinched nerves. It work by providing relief to severe back and neck pain sufferers by gently reducing the pressure within the spine creating a vacuum that reduces or reverses bulging, degenerative or herniated discs taking pressure off the joints and any “pinched” nerves. This vacuum also pulls much-needed oxygen, nutrients and fluid into injured and degenerated discs allowing the healing to begin. The treatment is computer controlled to provide gentle and painless oscillations. These oscillations also circulate synovium fluid keeping it operating at optimum temperature and pressure.
Coming soon…Coming in the next few weeks we are getting a new decompression table loaded with the newest protocols and algorithms. We are updating the older one too, so it’ll be up to date, and have room for your friends to come with. The newer table allows for many more treatment positions making it more comfortable and ergonomic for patients of all mobility and positional limitations and acute stages.
So if you would like to be surprised when it rains and turn off your body’s weather vain give our office a call on (443) 512-0025
DOT Exams
Anyone that listens to me, so that excludes my wife, kids, dogs and employees; has heard me mention that along with Chiropractic & Physical Therapy, I am a Nationally Registered Certified Medical Examiner for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation (NRCME-FMCSA-DOT, obviously a government job with all those letters). Meaning, I do truck driver physicals or commonly referred to as DOT physicals.
Who needs a DOT medical card?
Everyone that has a CDL, regardless of class must have a DOT medical card. In Maryland, because Maryland is Maryland; anyone who operates a vehicle over 10,000 lbs. for commercial purposes must also have a DOT card, regardless if you cross state lines or not. If you drive a F250 or similar vehicle you need a DOT card. If you operate any vehicle over 10,000 lbs. registered to a company, you need a medical card.
Why require a medical card?
The whole point of the card is to ensure those operating large vehicles do not have a medical condition that may lead to immediate incapacitate. The main goal is reducing potential for a truck to become an involuntary weapon of mass destruction.
There are strict federal regulations regarding who qualities for DOT cards. There are exclusions, federal exemptions, and releases from specials that may apply.
Few tips to make your DOT go smoother
If you’re on high blood pressure meds, take them. If you’re on metformin, take it. If you have a CPAP, use it; it’s all tested for. If you’ve ever had a heart attack, stroke or any type of cardiovascular surgery, there’s a wait period and you must provide documentation. Come with a full bladder because you WILL have to pee in a cup. And don’t lie, they’ll toss you in jail.
They say Sitting is the New Smoking
They say sitting is the new smoking. I’m old enough that I remember smoking sections in restaurants and on planes that were nothing more than just the next aisle over. I’m probably even old enough that my mom’s OB told her which brand of cigarettes to smoke when she was pregnant (that’d explain my brother). While I don’t think that they’ll start instituting no sitting areas, make employees go outside in the dead of winter to have sit breaks; I do though think we should get off our rumps a bit more.
Sitting leads to forward head posture, elongation and deactivation of the spinal muscles, reduced hip flexion, deregulation of the glutes, short hamstrings, shoulder rotation and short pectoral muscles. All of which leads to about 1000 different physical ailments. Sitting also influences biomarkers of obesity, heart and other chronic diseases.
Try the following:
If when you look in the mirror and your posture appears to be “off” it’s time to take a trip to my office and get the professional help you need.