Why Put Up With Pain?

Do you have the same nagging injury that never seems to go away? Are you suffering needlessly with pain? Are you fed up with taking painkillers? Do you want to find out what is causing your pain? If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, then the Applecross Chiropractic Centre may be the solution for you.

Typically, the chiropractic patient enters the office with some kind of pain. Back pain, neck pain, hip pain, leg pain, arm pain, shoulder pain, etc. have one thing in common They are all symptoms. Symptoms tell you that something in your body has gone wrong and this serves as a warning to alert you to a deeper problem.

Chiropractic is a health care discipline which looks beyond the symptoms to find the cause of your pain. It emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery, allowing the body to heal naturally. The quality of healing depends on the effectiveness of locating and addressing the cause.

The Applecross Chiropractic Centre is a family oriented chiropractic practice based in Applecross, Western Australia. Our widely respected chiropractor Dr Michael French is able to diagnose and treat neuromuscular skeletal disorders, including back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headaches, whiplash, car accident, work injuries, sports injuries; in fact almost any joint problems.

The Centre utilizes the most advanced chiropractic medicine available today. The chiropractic techniques used are non-surgical and non-invasive procedures. If you are suffering from a bulging or herniated disc, spinal decompression, herniated disc, spinal stenosis or sciatica, the interventional pain management and long-term chiropractic health care can help alleviate those problems.

Applecross Chiropractic Centre specializes in providing gentle, safe and effective Chiropractic care to people of all ages. Our chiropractors help newborns, infants, teenagers, adults and seniors live optimal lives.

So if you hurt, call us today on (08) 9316-2833

The Applecross Chiropractic Centre

The human backbone (spine) normally consists of 24 blocks of bone (vertebrae) stacked in a column with flexible pads in between (discs). There are no discs between the top two neck vertebrae. There are normally five more fused to form the base of the spine (sacrum) and four fused to form the tailbone (coccyx).

When viewed from front to back, the spine should appear straight and when viewed from the side, the neck should have a forward curve (lordosis), the middle of the back should have a backward curve (kyphosis) and the lower back should have a forward curve similar to the neck (lordosis).

Chiropractor Dr Michael French of the Applecross Chiropractic Centre says when we are born our spines have a “C” shaped foetal/primary curve and the three distinct adult/secondary curves develop as a result of gravitational forces from our upright and walking posture as we grow and mature.

The first curve to develop is the neck curve and it develops in response to the baby learning to lift its head, sit and then crawl.

The lower back curve develops as the baby learns to stand and then walk near the end of the first year of life. The mid back curve is already present as part of the C-shaped curve we are born with. It is very important to let these curves develop naturally so the baby will have a healthy spine.

“The three curves of your spine are important because they actually allow the spine to support more weight than if it were straight,” Michael says. “This is because the curves increase resistance to axial compression – that is, a head-to-toe squishing of the spine.

“With normal spinal position and movement, the spine does not create adverse effects on the nerves. However, when overall or localised changes in spinal movement or position occur the nerves can function differently.

“Many people feel this change as discomfort or pain and attend a chiropractic centre for treatment to correct the misalignment and consequently relieve the pain.”

Michael says sometimes the nerves ‘feel’ the pain further down the nerve from the actual problem area and this is referred to as ‘radiating’ to another region. Such as low back problems causing radiating sciatic pain all the way down the leg.

“Occasionally patients don’t feel much pain but suffer weakness instead,” he says. “This is because not all nerves do the same job, for example, if a problem occurs that alters the function of a nerve controlling someone’s ability to feel what they’re holding or their muscle strength they will not be able to hold on to the object properly and may drop it.

“Thus spinal problems may cause a range of problems and some may seem quite unrelated to the spine until an assessment verifies if the spine is the cause.

“An interesting concept is when nerves are affected that control areas of the body other than muscles or pain sensors. Many people report a seemingly unrelated illness that failed to respond to previous health care, improved when getting chiropractic care for another reason.”

Dr French says chiropractic is not only of benefit for the ‘bad back’ and extremity problems (knees and shoulders) but may be of benefit in many other internal (visceral) conditions.

“When under the proper control of the nervous system, all the cells, tissues and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health,” he says.

“The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and help reduce interference to your natural state of being healthy.

“Common interferences to the nervous system occur between some of the 24 moving bones of the spinal column. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system.

“This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses. With improved spinal function people often report improved organ and system function. Your chiropractor can help remove any interference that may be impairing normal health.

“Through specialist, drug free spinal health care, expertise in the diagnosis and management of spinal health and the provision of expert advice, chiropractors can play an important part in helping Australians lead and maintain healthy lives.”

Not all problems are spine related so a chiropractor does a complete physical and neurological assessment to determine if there are any signs or symptoms that indicate if a different type of care may be needed.

What do chiropractors do?

Chiropractors are the spinal health experts. Helping to restore proper spinal biomechanics and improved nervous system function begins with a patient’s case history. This gives the chiropractor a background about your health such as surgeries, accidents, the onset of your condition and other details affecting your current health.

After reviewing your history and discussing your specific problem, a thorough orthopaedic, neurological and chiropractic examination is performed. X-rays may be taken to uncover structural and functioning problems associated with the spinal column. These examinations help identify areas of spinal malfunction and resulting nervous system deficit.

The findings of these examinations are explained and a plan of chiropractic adjustments may be recommended. Progress is monitored with periodical examinations and follow-up reports.

How does chiropractic work?

Chiropractic works by helping to restore your own inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissue and organs of your body are designed to function well and resist disease and ill-health.

The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and help reduce interference to your natural state of being healthy.

A common interference to the nervous system is the 24 moving bones of the spinal column. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system. This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses.

Chiropractors aim to improve nervous system function primarily through chiropractic adjustments (with particular attention to the spine, skull and pelvis), to help remove any interference that may be impairing normal health.

Is chiropractic care safe?

In the words of the New Zealand Government’s inquiry, chiropractic care is “remarkably safe”. Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs.

In relation to the treatment of neck and back pain, studies acquired by the CAA have shown a course of chiropractic care was 250 times safer than a course of anti-inflammatory drugs.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the skill of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, ‘locked up’, or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the joints to gradually regain more normal motion and function. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to permit improved spinal function, improved nervous system function and improved health.

There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the chiropractor’s hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow, constant or indirect pressure.

After years of university training and clinical experience, each chiropractor becomes highly skilled in the delivery or a variety of adjusting approaches.

Is chiropractic care appropriate for children?

Since significant trauma can occur at birth, many parents choose to have their newborns checked for any spinal health related problems. Later, learning to walk, riding a bicycle and other childhood activities can cause spinal health related problems.

While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the potential underlying structural damage to the child’s spine, skull, pelvis and extremities is the unique domain of a chiropractor.

Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as ‘growing pains’ may be able to be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups may be able to identify these problems and help avoid some of the health complaints seen later in adults. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child’s spine, particularly babies.

Am I too old for chiropractic care?

More people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity.

Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance and appetite. Many patients report improvements with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the ageing process. The adjusting technique used by your chiropractor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.

As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more obvious.

For how long will I need chiropractic care?

Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These long-standing problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage and degenerative changes to the spine.

Most patients find periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be their very best, find a schedule of preventative visits is helpful in the maintenance of good health.

Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of ‘crisis management’ is usually more costly and time consuming, chiropractors stand ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals. How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.

Do chiropractic adjustments hurt?

In most cases, not at all. In fact most people find having an adjustment very relaxing.

With some adjustments you may sometimes feel or hear a popping sound from the spinal joints; this is simply caused by a gas release from the joint as spinal movement is restored, such as when a wet glass is removed from a table.

Some chiropractors use a hand held instrument to adjust the spine. Others use pelvic blocks to re-align the body. Special techniques are used for adjusting infants and children. Whatever the technique, chiropractors use skill, not force or strength, to conduct a safe, effective adjustment.

What results can I expect?

Individual experience varies from person to person, but most people can expect some benefits soon after beginning care and for these to consolidate further as therapy continues.

Poor posture affects up to 90 per cent of people according to the Chiropractor’s Association of Australia (CAA). In severe cases, long term bad posture can lead to scoliosis, a condition that results in the spine twisting from left to right, instead of running in a straight line from top to bottom. Depending on the severity, scoliosis of the spine can have a detrimental impact on vital organs, such as your heart, liver and kidneys.

The Which Posture Are You? website is an initiative of the CAA and features information and tools to help people assess their postural health and find out how to improve posture and well being. Four main postural types are identified.

Weekend Outdoors

There are steps you can take to avoid injury from maintaining improper posture whilst gardening.

Bending over weeding and watering, the hours can quickly slip by. Then there are activities like digging, carrying buckets, pushing wheelbarrows and lifting. Done the wrong way, these activities can place strain on your back, particularly when your body is held in unsound positions over a sustained period of time to perform them.  It’s easy to understand how back pain can arise from pursuits in the garden if you don’t undertake these activities in the right way.

DIY activities around the home can result in a high rate of injury. In Australia it’s been shown that of DIY injuries presented at an emergency department, 75 per cent of incidents occur in a residential setting, particularly the garden.

Common posture problems include Dowager’s Hump (increased kyphosis) a bent over posture more common in older people, especially women, round shoulders and uneven or rotated hips, caused by twisting to shift dirt from a wheelbarrow to a garden, or to pull out and pile up weeds.

Give your posture a sporting chance. Before you enter the garden and having a few simple rules in mind, you can minimise your chance of experiencing some of these common gardening afflictions.

Aside from using the correct posture and tools, take frequent breaks and walk around and stretch, as staying in the same position for too long can contribute to a sore back later that night or the next morning.

The Office Routine

Our backs are not designed to spend long periods of time sitting at desks, a common feature of many work environments.

Spending six to eight hours a day in front of a computer can lead to shoulder, arm, hand and neck problems, as well as issues with balance and coordination.

One study revealed over 45 per cent of office workers experience neck pain. Back problems are big contributors to lost productivity in the workplace.

Lower back pain is one of the most common causes of disability among people of working age and its impact on industry is enormous. After headaches and colds, back pain is the third most common reason for taking time off work.

Specifically, the work-related physical activities related to the onset of low back symptoms include lifting heavy weights, bending and twisting and working in the same position for extended periods.

Common posture problems amongst office workers (particularly computer operators) include forward head posture, round shoulders distinguished by the hunched over appearance it creates and rotated hips, which can be caused by holding a poor position for a long period of time, such as sitting at your desk twisting to write as well as looking at the computer.

The good news is postural issues can be corrected, and even, in some instances reversed.

When in a working environment that requires a lot of desk and computer work, make sure your workstation equipment is ergonomically sound (see ergonomic tips below).

Take regular breaks. You should take a one-to-two minute break every 30 minutes you spend sitting at a desk or workstation.

Ergonomic tips
• Adjust your chair so your feet are flat on the floor, your thighs are parallel to the ground, with your knees forming a 90 degree angle.
• Your eyes should be in line with the top of your monitor.
• The keyboard should be level with the height of your elbows when your arms are hanging loose by your side.

Weighing down kids

In addition to the possibility of injury in the playground and on the sports oval, the seemingly innocuous trip to and from school also presents its own postural challenges to children.

According to an international study, daily backpack carrying is a frequent cause of discomfort for school children. School backpacks are heavy for 79 per cent of children, causing fatigue to 66 per cent and back pain to 46 per cent.

Although fashionable, many of the current bags children are using for school don’t allow for even weight distribution across the back. What’s more, many children put extra pressure on their spine by carrying their bags below their waistline/lower back.

There have been links established between thoracic (middle back) pain in adolescents from postural changes associated with backpack use and participation in certain sports. Furthermore, the thoracic (mid) to lumbar (lower) regions of the spine can experience deteriorating posture as a person becomes fatigued from carrying loads, such as backpacks. It can take less than 20 minutes of carrying a load for this fatigue to start.

These problems are all the more concerning when you consider spinal issues during adolescence can impact on the correct development of your child’s spine as they grow into an adult.

Children are more likely to experience forward head posture while wearing a loaded backpack. Other posture problems include slouching and uneven hips.

It is not uncommon to see children carrying school backpacks on one shoulder – this uneven weight distribution can cause a postural compensation and result in uneven hips.

Backpack tips
• Backpacks should be no heavier than 10 per cent of a student’s weight when packed.
• Backpacks should be no wider than the student’s chest.
• Choose a backpack with broad, padded shoulder straps and waist strap.
• Don’t wear the backpack lower than the hollow of the lower back.
• Place any heavy items at the base of the pack, close to the spine, for a better distribution of the weight.

Mum’s Balancing Priorities

There’s no doubt pregnant mums and mums with young babies carry a heavy burden – literally.

As they tend to their daily activities, posture is often the last thing on their minds. Unfortunately, this can often lead to every day tasks – such as housework and social interaction – being performed in ways that are physically taxing to their health and posture.

While postural issues don’t always manifest themselves in a manner that allow us to easily recognise we have them, back pain can be a clear sign you may need to have your posture assessed.

Approximately 70 per cent of women will, at some time in their lives, report low back pain. During pregnancy, while 50 to 80 per cent of women have reported back pain, one-third of pregnant women claim this low back pain is a significant problem.

Activities such as twisting to lift children out of cars and frequent carrying of babies or young children on the hips can cause hips and shoulders to become uneven.

As a woman’s body adapts to her changing weight and shape during pregnancy, the spine and pelvis realign to serve as a counter-balance. One of the issues that can arise from this is forward head posture. Dowager’s Hump (or increased kyphosis) is another postural issue that can occur during pregnancy. It is a condition that increases the natural curve of the upper back. The increased weight from carrying a child can pull your pelvis forward, increasing the curve to your lower back (or increased lordosis).

What you can do about your posture
• Start by assessing your own posture. A self-assessment on CAA’s website www.whatsyourposture.com.au can give you an indication of postural issues you or your family may be experiencing.
• If necessary, make an appointment with a registered CAA chiropractor. Being spinal experts, chiropractors are best placed to assess your spinal health and provide the appropriate care to improve and maintain it.
• Just three minutes a day dedicated to exercises to improve your posture can have a tremendous impact on your long term health. People who regularly stretch and maintain a good range of motion are less likely to suffer the negative effects of immobility.

Welcome to the world of Chiropractic in Applecross.

Chiropractic is a greatly misunderstood healing art and science. The misunderstandings are usually the product of misinformation. So, lets set the record straight.
Myth #1 Chiropractic adjustment are dangerous. This could not be further from the truth. Receiving chiropractic adjustments are statistically safer than taking an aspirin.
Myth #2 Chiropractic adjustments are painful. Most patients, after their first adjustment, say something like, “Is that it?” Surprised and happy that it does not hurt and in fact the treatment feels good.
Myth #3 Once you start receiving chiropractic care, you cannot quit. The truth of the matter is that once you start, once you understand the benefits of chiropractic care, you do not want to stop. The healing and health benefits of continued chiropractic care on a wellness basis is a choice that thousands of Applecross residents choose to avail themselves of to keep themselves in the very best health possible.
Myth #4 Chiropractic care is just for temporary relief of symptoms and does not correct the cause. This could not be further from the truth. Chiropractic is all about fixing the cause of the symptoms. In other words, finding the joint and nervous system dysfunction that is pinching the nerves that make our body not work right.
Myth #5 Chiropractic treatment is about fixing the back. Well, what is wrong with that? Actually, that is partly true. Chiropractic adjustments restore normal communication between the brain and body by reducing and eliminating pressure on the nerves that the spinal column protects. That is what this is all about, restoring the normal function of our health delivery system, our nervous system.

Set aside a special time each day for complete mental and physical relaxation. This is important in the restoration – as well as maintenance – of normal health.

When sitting, choose a chair that has adequate firmness to hold your weight comfortably, and then sit straight. Avoid too soft, overstuffed chairs. Recliner chairs are acceptable if they are constructed so that when you are reclining your back is in a normal, straight position.

Cross your legs only at the ankles, not at the knees. Crossing your legs at the knees could aggravate an existing back condition as well as interfere with the circulation to the lower limbs.

Be sure to get plenty of sleep to allow your body to recuperate and repair.

Sleep on a firm mattress, preferably one which is neither too hard nor too soft, but just firm enough to hold your body level while at the same time soft enough so that your shoulders, buttocks, etc will depress into the mattress.

Your pillow should be neither too high nor too low. The ideal pillow is one which supports your head so that your neck vertebrae will be level with the rest of your spine. Avoid sleeping on two pillows; never lie on a couch with your head on the arm rest.

Sleep on your back or on your side with your legs flexed slightly, not drawn up tightly. Avoid sleeping on your stomach. Raise your head off the pillow when changing positions.

Rise from your bed by turning on your side and swinging your legs off the bed, then push yourself into a sitting position with your arms, thus minimising the amount of strain on your back.

Do not read or watch TV in bed, particularly with your head propped at a sharp or strained angle.

Do not sleep sitting in a chair or in cramped quarters. Lie down in bed when it is time to sleep.