Will I have to Stop Running?

Dr. Johanna jumping Video: Dr. Johanna answers the question: Will I have to Stop Running

This is the transcript, edited for written format.

Hi, I’m Doctor Johanna with Catalyst Chiropractic in Nashua NH this video is to address my running patients or runners out there. I myself am a runner, as you can see by the race bibs hanging on the wall behind me. One of the biggest hurdles that I feel that runners hit when they see any kind of healthcare provider is the absolute fear of the dreaded phrase “you need to stop running.” So I’m going to tell you right now, I won’t say that phrase.

We’re going to do a full assessment, see where you’re and then make our plans and recommendations accordingly.  The best way to reduce the likelihood of that phrase, is to come to my office when the problem just a nagging pain.  When it’s that weird tweak that happens at mile three, every single time you go running. Before it’s that acute “I’m going to go sit on a giant bag of ice and I’m screaming in pain injury”. Let’s catch it before then, and see if we can get everything corrected. So that tweak goes away, so that nagging hip issue is gone.

You might wonder how chiropractic with the spine relates to running. Well think of the miles you’re putting on your spine every time you run.  You track your sneakers, you track the miles on your sneakers and you replace them before you start having to deal with knees, and ankles and hips, and honestly back problems because your sneakers are no longer helping you. Same with your spine, how many miles have you put on it since you had it checked last to make sure that it’s moving appropriately with every single step.

 

Erchonia cold laser treatments are now available at Catalyst Chiropractic in Nashua, NH

Dr. Johanna Now Offers Cold Laser Treatments at Catalyst Chiropractic

Why did you decide to add cold laser to your practice?

Dr. Johanna: I’ve been looking for a modality that could help fast forward through the pain relief phase of treatment. I also wanted to add a unique treatment to our practice. After doing research, I felt that the cold laser was the best choice for our goals at the office, since it accelerates pain relief and improves the healing process.

Who could typically would benefit from cold laser treatments?

Dr. Johanna: Generally speaking, there are benefits for everyone. It’s just depends on their treatment goals. Because the Erchonia cold laser works with the mitochondria of the cells, it helps to improve cell regeneration which shortens healing time. Speeding up pain relief allows a patient to start corrective care sooner.  The laser also helps with older injuries such as sprained ligaments or muscle adhesions. It helps to break up old patterns so that the body can heal correctly and with an improved range of motion.

What do people need to know before getting a cold laser treatment?

Dr. Johanna: As with any treatment, we will have a conversation and consultation along with an exam. This way we can establish your areas of concern, along with your goals to create the best course of treatment. Erchonia laser treatments can be purchased separate from chiropractic treatment, but we recommend chiropractic care to greatly improve outcomes. While some studies show low level laser pain reduction with just one treatment, the majority of the studies use a series of treatments. For best results we recommend a series of six, nine, or twelve treatments depending on the problem.

Why did you choose this particular piece of laser equipment?

Dr. Johanna: The laser we chose was manufactured by the Erchonia Corporation, the global leader in low level laser healthcare applications. They were also the first to receive FDA market clearance for their products in the treatment of chronic pain—proven through two double blind IRB studies.

Along with pain reduction and helping heal injuries, how can cold laser therapy benefit athletes?

Dr. Johanna: If an athlete is dealing with an injury, cold laser treatment will speed their recovery time so that they can get back to their sport. Since low level laser encourages cell regeneration, athletes can also recover from heavy training faster. Imagine if an athlete is able to reduce their recovery window and train with greater frequency and intensity! When a muscle is stressed while training for improvement, the muscle fibers get damaged. By using the Erchonia laser, we can encourage cell regeneration (or in simple terms muscle repair), helping the athlete’s muscles get stronger, faster. The same would apply for someone who is strength training or weightlifting.

How can patients request to add this treatment to their current therapy with you, or get set up for laser treatments at your office?

Dr. Johanna: New patients will need to schedule a consultation and exam. Current patients, simply need to discuss the treatment with Dr. Johanna at their next visit. Or, they can call the office to arrange an appointment specifically for a laser consultation. Depending on treatment goals and problems, most patients will find that adding cold laser to their treatment plan will only increase their time in the office

Rappelling down a Skyscraper!

Help Dr. Johanna Rappel Down a Skyscraper to Benefit The Youth Council with Over The Edge 2019!

Over the Edge 2019 Q&A With Dr. Johanna

Have you ever rappelled before?

I have, but just once in high school with Explorer Scouts, and it was nothing even remotely close to this height! We went hiking and did some small rappels during the outing. I was only able to do the rappels where my feet were firmly planted on the rock face, I was terrified of just hanging! In middle school, I only managed to complete one zip-line ropes course. Before then, I’d gotten too scared and backed down.

As an adult I generally avoid heights or more accurately, edges. Unfortunately, this has conflicted with my desire to experience adventures in my life. Even so, I’ve managed to face my fear enough to ride a few roller coasters and have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower which was terrifying with the wind!

It sounds like you’re afraid of heights! Is that true?

I’m completely terrified of heights. I even have difficulty on gondola rides at amusement parks due to the height!

How do you psych yourself up for new and potentially scary challenges? The Over The Edge event involves a serious height challenge!

I never want to miss out on an experience because of fear. So, I rely on facts and get analytical. I know that the redundant safety measures were almost too redundant for one of my rock climbing friends who did the Over the Edge event last year! Intellectually, I know I will be safe—and I also appreciate the fact that not everyone has the opportunity to rappel down a 300ft skyscraper! I don’t want to miss my chance to have this a-once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’ve run a marathon, I ran up Mt. Wachusett last weekend, so I know that I can walk backward 300 feet—the length of a football field.

Gate City Marathon Johanna Half Marathon

It’s easy to back out of something scary when you know you’ll have other opportunities, but this event only happens once a year and I can’t guarantee I’ll be invited next year!

How did you first learn about this challenge?

I heard about Over The Edge last year when Dr. Amy Haas, another local chiropractor and avid rock climber went “Over the Edge”. This year Dr. Haas was not available, and I was invited to participate in her place.

The United Way hosts this event for every year to raise money for many area non-profits. I’m participating to benefit The Youth Council.

Where can we learn more about The Youth Council?

The Youth Council helps Nashua area families get help with mental health, alcohol and drug abuse. They’re able to intervene to keep children from going into the corrections system, or starting down a path of multiple criminal records.

http://www.theyouthcouncil.org
https://www.facebook.com/TheYouthCouncil/

The Youth Council is proud to fill a critical niche for young people at the intersection of law enforcement, education, substance misuse and mental health symptoms.

How will our donations help The Youth Council?

A $50 donation will support a day at our suspension center for a 5th-8th grade students. This center is a safe place for children who are suspended from school. The center also can address the underlying issues which may have caused the child’s suspension.

A $100 donation will support an embedded middle or high school student assistance counselor for a day. They work to help students overcome stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, and even substance use.

A $300 donation will support a global assessment of an individual’s needs. The Youth Council will help a family determine if their child has a substance use disorder, and will create a comprehensive plan to address their needs with a licensed therapist.

A $1,250 donation will help a child who has been arrested for the first time (along with their family) through our court diversion program. This program ensures that the child is held accountable while receiving the support they need to avoid an offense on their permanent record.

How Can I Support Dr. Johanna and The Youth Council?

You can make contributions on Dr. Johanna’s “Over the Edge” donation page: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/edge2019/JohannaNewbold

Cash or check (made out to the United Way) donations can also be made at our office.

For new patients who have donated at least $50, we have set aside a few Thursday New Patient Consultations and exams. The appointment must be scheduled before the end of the June. If you would prefer to make a donation by cash or check, call our office to schedule and let us know that this is your plan.

Once Dr. Johanna raises $500, she will get on the schedule to know when she is jumping. She will need to raise at least $1,000 to make the jump, and would love to raise more. The Youth Council does great things to help the youth and parents in the city of Nashua.

Ask Dr. Johanna

Ask Dr. Johanna: 5 Common Questions New Patients Have at Catalyst Chiropractic

People often ask us many great questions at the Catalyst Chiropractic office–either for themselves or for family members and friends who they may be bringing with them to a future visit.

Q: If someone has arthritis is it safe for them to be adjusted?

A: Yes, it’s definitely safe to adjust someone with arthritis. Part of the process is to actually assess their spine because arthritis is a very generic term for disc degeneration. So, what we do at Catalyst Chiropractic is find out the specific levels. So, if your doctor told you that they did an x-ray and you have some arthritis in your spine, we will look at the x-ray or we will take our own. We will see what specific levels of degeneration you have–and is it preventing specific bones from moving appropriately.

Q: Does Catalyst Chiropractic accept Medicare?

A: We do! We’re a participating provider with Medicare, which means I can bill Medicare directly for your care. We make sure you know up front what the costs will be to you, and what Medicare will cover. We also monitor when/if Medicare decides that they may no longer cover your treatment, so you do not get any billing surprises.

Our office manager, Alex Newbold, will explain what Medicare can cover for your treatment. For other insurance, Alex also calls and makes sure to get all of the coverage information together for you. This is especially valuable since every insurance company is different. Alex is our on-site insurance and Medicare specialist. He brings over ten years of experience in the health care industry, where he worked in a large HMO to the task to make sure you get all of the correct information.

Q: Can pregnant women still get chiropractic adjustments?

A: It is quite safe to get adjusted while pregnant. As with any patient, there would be an evaluation to specifically assess their safety for adjusting–and to determine what the correct technique would be for that person. When Dr. Johanna was pregnant, she continued to get adjustments through the duration of her pregnancy. And, many of her patients have said that it has been fantastic for relieving body aches–because when you’re pregnant you want to avoid taking any kind of medications. So, adjustments can help to avoid taking medications during pregnancy for normal body aches and pains.

Q: If someone has had a spinal fusion, can they still get adjusted?

A: Absolutely. At Catalyst Chiropractic, we have worked with several patients with spinal fusions who have had fantastic results. Obviously if there’s been a fusion, we don’t adjust that area and we’re not going to want to or try to undo it! But, we can make sure that the areas above and below the fused area of the spine are all working appropriately. And if other parts of the spine are having problems we can help take care of those as well to try to prevent future spinal fusions.

Q: Does Dr. Johanna Newbold still get chiropractic adjustments?

A: Yes, she does. Right now, she is receiving supportive maintenance care with a chiropractor in town. She goes at least once a week because she finds that it helps her stay in tip-top shape for taking care of her patients. As an avid runner, she knows that regular chiropractic care is essential to faster recovery times after endurance events and training. Even when she runs really hard in a race, she’s already beginning to recover just 30 minutes later. More importantly she finds that she isn’t in pain the next day after a race.