The human body is a remarkable thing. It is infinitely adaptable to change and is able to withstand an onslaught of things from the environment from physical trauma to invading viruses. It also needs to be properly taken care of if it is going to be working at peak function and for most people, most of the time it is failure to properly maintain the body that causes aches, pains and worse even though there may not have been a direct injury.

Below are what I think are the 3 most common reasons your back is hurting you even though you didn’t directly injure it.

1) Chronic Poor Posture

This is more than just how straight up you sit. This includes everything from how you sit in the car to how much you slouch when you are working at the computer. Have small kids? Do you carry them almost exclusively with one arm? Do you carry anything like a purse, backpack or work belt? All these seemingly benign things do not cause immediate pain but over the course of several days, weeks, month or years these habits can cause muscular imbalance which directly affects the spine leading to tight muscles and achy joints. Pay attention to the way you move through the day and make sure to get a regular chiropractic adjustment at least once a month to keep these kind of problems from adding up.

2) Chronic Poor Diet

Yeah, yeah, you know you don’t eat great but you don’t eat THAT BAD right? Well, probably wrong. Diet includes anything you allow into your body from drinks to medications to recreational drugs. All of these things affect your body chemistry which means they affect you. Daily caffeine use which triggers the release of cortisol and other stress hormones which cause chronic muscle tension. Eating lots of candy or other sugary treats causes chronically high blood sugar which reduces immunity and slows healing. Eating a bunch of junk food ensures you are vitamin and mineral deficient which basically means you cannot perform the metabolic activities your body needs to thrive.

3) Chronic Poor Sleep

Sleep is when your body does its most intense cellular repair. Many things can negatively impact sleep like caffeine, stress and being overweight. Also watching TV before bed and leaving lights on while sleeping also keep the body from achieving the deepest levels of sleep needed to keep your body working at tip top speed. Numerous studies have demonstrated that just 3 nights of poor sleep can cause people to start to exhibit signs of mental dysfunction so yeah, it’s kind of important and if you are not regularly entering the deep sleep functions of repair no wonder your shoulder is always hurting you right?

Conclusion

Your body is not as simple as a machine but much like one its best to treat it to regular maintenance. If all you have to do is go to the chiropractor 1-2 times a month, eat a little better and get some good sleep doesn’t that sound worth it? I think it does.

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Pain in the arm and hands is a common condition experienced when there is pressure being applied to the nerve roots exiting the neck. Let’s do a quick review of some human anatomy. There are 2 areas in the spine where the nerves exiting the spinal cord form plexuses, or groups of nerve fibers, that then go into the arms and legs to serve those muscles and other tissues.

Because these nerves run from the neck and lower back down the entire length of the arms and legs people often experience pressure on the these nerves in the neck and back as arm and leg pain, numbness or tingling.

The sensation is very similar to hitting your “funny bone” which is actually just a nerve that does not have much protection from physical contact. The main difference here is that the injury is quick and precise with the funny bone example and long and consistent with pressure on the nerve roots in the neck and lower back which cause the pain in the arms and legs.

This common condition can usually be relieved with just a few chiropractic adjustments since in many cases the cause of the problem is found in the joints and muscles of the spine. When the muscle is allowed to relax and proper motion is restored to the joints of the back and neck these symptoms often disappear. We treat patients for this condition daily in both our Glenwood City and New Richmond chiropractic offices.

Today’s blog piece is pretty short but looks at a topic that is very important to understand in today’s medical world where degeneration and chronic illness are looked at as normal.

Believe it or not, pain is not normal. There is no normal headache, normal low back pain any more than there is a normal toothache. Pain is your body’s way of telling you there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

The biggest thing to consider here is where the pain came from. Let’s say you placed your hand on a red hot oven burner. Your natural reaction would be to immediately remove the hand from heat and to run cool water over the injury. Note that he burner touching skin caused the injury and that a burn was not just something that happened to you naturally. There was a direct cause and effect at work.

Now let’s look at someone with chronic headaches. They have constantly sore muscles, are stressed out most of the time and sit at a desk job 8 hours a day. First of all stress kills our bodies. Chronic stress can slow healing and reduce our ability to withstand pain. We also have to consider chronic physical strains such as leaning over a computer most of the day. Although this doesn’t cause pain like a red hot burner does it does, over time, stress the muscles in the neck and upper back which can lead to muscle tension. Combine this with lifestyle factors such as poor diet, lack of sleep and other common things many people do it becomes clear that the “normal headache” is anything but normal and is actually the consequence of many smaller things adding up.

So the next time you thing “oh yeah it’s just normal for me to be in pain.” Remember that pain is a message from your body that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. For many issues of chronic pain chiropractic care is the easiest, quickest and most effective treatment option. For specific questions you can always call Arvold Chiropractic and ask. We will let you know if chiropractic is a good option for your pain. With offices in both Glenwood City and at the 4 Corners near New Richmond we are always ready to help.

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With the colder months arriving having a fully functioning immune system is crucial for avoiding or at least minimizing the impact of all the colds, flues and other ills people typically catch more of in the winter time. Building up your immune system now can greatly reduce your chances of getting sick once Flu season finally does arrive in full force. Regular chiropractic adjustments help improve immunity by reducing stress on the nervous system and getting 7-8 hours of good sleep a night also helps. On a cellular level you give your immune system the best possible base it can have to fight off infection with these 3 supplements.

1. Vitamin D- Vitamin D is more of a hormone than a vitamin based on how it works in the body because it has such a wide range of uses. It helps modulate calcium absorption, improves mood, and is a key component of immune cells just to name a few. Vitamin D is such a big player in the body that without optimal levels in the blood your immune system will be compromised. 5,000IU a day from mid fall until late spring is the optimal amount.
2. DHA- This fatty acid is found in fish oil supplements. DHA is especially important for immune function because it reduces inflammation in the body which is essential for having a strong, well organized immune response to viruses, bacteria and other invaders. DHA is also every important for optimal brain function and helps modulate mood.
3. Multi-vitamin- Without optimal levels of vitamins and minerals in the blood optimal immune function is impossible. A variety of nutrients most Americans are deficient in are required in large amounts by the immune system. Specifically vitamin C, zinc, selenium and magnesium are all used up by immune cells. A multi-vitamin helps improve serum levels of critical nutrients and improves overall health as well as immune function.

Making sure you’re ready for flu season is important if you want to stay healthy. Here at Arvold Chiropractic we have bundled these 3 supplements into our Immune Boost Core Pack. There is nothing fancy about covering your nutritional bases and our pack is a 2 month supply. If you have questions about specific health concerns or want to know more about immune function or nutrition stop in the office anytime and we will be happy to help get you as healthy as possible!

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Migraine headaches can be one of the most debilitating conditions you can experience. Classic symptoms of migraines include an aura or seeing dark spots about 15-20 minutes prior to the pain starting.

Once the actual headache starts the pain can be so intense that people who suffer from migraines often report not being able to tolerate sound, smells or light and must lay for hours waiting for the pain to subside. There are often lingering effects such as dull achy pain in the head and body and light, smell and sound sensitivity, sometimes days after the actual headache has gone away.

Although there are many causes for migraine headaches subluxated neck joints (joints that are not moving properly and therefore placing pressure on the nerves exiting the spine at the neck) can be a significant factor in causing and exacerbating migraine headaches.

Many patients I see who suffer from migraines will reports tender spots on the neck that when pressed on mimic the pain caused by the migraine itself. This is one sure sign that neck subluxations are in fact aggravating the condition if not causing the headache.

Chiropractic adjustments are a safe and reliable therapy for reducing the subluxation in the neck and helping to reduce the severity and frequency of migraine headaches. Some people are even lucky enough to see near complete resolution of migraine headaches with regular chiropractic care.

If you suffer from migraine headaches chiropractic is very likely a good option for you.

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This is the first post of the Arvold Chiropractic Blog! Arvold Chiropractic has been treating patients from New Richmond, Baldwin, Amery and Glenwood City as well as the surrounding areas for over 25 years!

We provide a variety of services including chiropractic adjustments, nutrition counseling, DOT physical exams and other natural health services. We are open 6 days a week with offices conveniently located in Glenwood City and at the 4 Corners between New Richmond, Baldwin and Amery.

Check back often for new posts on natural health, recipes and other healthy related subjects. Also, connect with us on social media! We have pages on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ and You Tube so there is always something new and exciting to read or watch.

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