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Tag: pain relief

By Dr. Johanna Newbold 0 Comments Ask Dr. Johanna, Chiropractic Care, Running, Sports , , , , ,

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.

 

By Dr. Johanna Newbold 0 Comments Exercises , , , , , ,

Four Easy Ways to Fight Forward Head Posture

woman in car on smartphone
Photo by Igor Starkov on Unsplash

Forward head posture, “text neck”, anterior head syndrome… these are just a few names for this common postural condition can lead to neck pain, headaches, sore shoulders, reduced respiratory function, early degeneration of my neck spine and many others. All of these painful conditions can certainly get in the way of fun activities like skiing, playing golf, running marathons, playing video games, adventures with grandchildren, and conquering fitness goals.

While forward head posture is nothing new, computers, sedentary jobs and smart phones has made this condition much more common. If ignored, it can lead to permanent changes to the neck spine and eventually will cause a fully hunched over “nursing home posture”. While it could take decades before that occurs, by the time that it does, correcting the posture may no longer be possible.

Here are four easy ways you can fight forward head posture now:

  • Take breaks and stretch when sitting at a computer, playing video games, or using your phone or tablet for an extended period of time. Here’s an example stretching sequence. Practice it slowly, and hold each position for a few moments:
    • Tilt your head back, then forward.
    • Turn to look to your left and to your right.
    • Tilt your head to your left shoulder and your right shoulder.
    • Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    • Roll your shoulders back.
    • None of these moves should cause any pain, if they do see tip #4.
  • Try neck planks.
    • While lying on your stomach, hold your head up and away from the floor.
    • Hold for 5 seconds.
    • Repeat 10 times and rest.
    • Practice this sequence daily, increasing the hold time by one second until you can hold it for 15 seconds.
    • Neck planks should not hurt or cause a muscle spasm, if they do, the problem may be more complex than muscle weakness.
  • Strengthen the neck with this move.
    • Stand with your back to a wall
    • Push your head against the wall and hold.
    • If you can’t touch the back of your head to the wall, use a folded towel to make up the distance.
  • Schedule an exam with Catalyst Chiropractic to evaluate your neck structure. We’ll perform a complete spinal exam, along with a motion study x-ray of your neck. With this information, we can create a personalized treatment plan to help you correct forward head posture.
woman in yoga plank
Photo by bruce mars from Pexels
Erchonia cold laser treatments are now available at Catalyst Chiropractic in Nashua, NH
By Dr. Johanna Newbold 0 Comments Ask Dr. Johanna, Chiropractic Care , , , ,

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