The very best of luck to all of our patients and friends who are running the London Marathon this weekend. A great achievement and lots of worthy causes receiving well deserved and much needed support. Well done to you all and Good Luck!!!
We love Danny’s latest blog! http://chirobeans.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/what-are-disc-bulges-disc-herniations-disc-prolapses-and-slipped-discs/ Take a look and find out the answers to the above questions.
Congratulations and well done to our massage therapist Tracey Morris who has recently qualified in pregnancy massage. We are now able to offer seated or side-lying massage to pregnant ladies which can help with the following:
Pregnancy Massage works on the lymphatic and circulatory systems, relieves aches and pains and muscle tension, and improves the pliability of the skin and underlying tissues. Tracey will not use essential oils and you will be supported by pillows.
Happy Easter from all the team here at the Longlevens Chiropractic & Sports Injury Clinic. After a very busy build up to the Easter weekend we will be making available some extra appointment times next week. In the meantime, we will be catching up with family and eating too much chocolate and we hope that you do plenty of the same! Enjoy your break.
Big congratulations to our lovely receptionist Mary and her family. Mary’s daughter has very recently given birth to a beautiful baby boy, making Mary a Grandmother again. We are very happy for all of the family and send them all of our very best wishes!
Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession – Chiropractors can assess, diagnose and subsequently treat or refer out if necessary. Chiropractors specialise in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of injuries to muscles, nerves and the skeleton, treating all areas of the body (not just the spine!!) using gentle manipulation and mobilisation of joints, and soft tissue techniques . We can help a wide range of injuries that involve joints, muscles ligaments, tendons and nerves including:
The results below are from a study, funded by the National Institute of Health, that tracked 272 patients with recent-onset neck pain who were treated using three different methods: Medication, Exercise or a Chiropractor.
After 12 weeks the patients who used a chiropractor or exercised were more than twice as likely to be neck pain free compared to those who relied on medicine. The patients treated by a chiropractor experienced the highest rate of neck pain relief with 32 percent saying they were neck pain free, compared to 30 percent of those who exercised. Only 13 percent of patients treated with medication said they no longer experienced neck pain.
As a Chiropractor myself, I always recommend Chiropractic treatment along with a personally prescribed exercise plan. Part of your chiropractic treatment is to receive advice on which stretches and exercises to perform. The exercises are designed to train areas of your body so that it is less likely to re-injure itself. I also give ergonomic advice, advice for around the house and advice on the correct nutrition to aid you in healing faster. Exercises are usually given after one or two treatments once a patient is out of pain and can move a bit better. You must be careful as exercise during the acute phases may increase the pain levels and actually hinder progression. This is because the inflamed areas can get further irritated by the compressing, stretching and pulling movements aggravating the injury.
It’s crucial for everyone to know that Chiropractic is more then just hands on treatment, Chiropractors assess all contributing factors and give you advice to correct each possible factor that may have led to the injury onset. Once out of injury or even before they get injured many people see their Chiropractor for a regular spinal and body check up. During these visits a Chiropractor will check to see if any part of the body could lead to future discomfort and to see if their patient has been performing their exercises correctly to prevent injury or re-injury.
Chiropractic and exercise go hand in hand, on their own they are OK, but together they are unbeatable. In a perfect world everyone would see their Chiropractor on a regular basis for regular check ups, this is the dream as back pain is one of the leading causes of work absence. Think about it!! if we all saw our Chiropractor regularly we would have less days off work as a country due to back pain which would lead to a boost in the economy and decrease our taxes!!… what do you think? it’s a nice dream, make it happen 
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“prevention is better than cure”.
References: Forer, B. (2012). Neck Pain: Chiropractors, Exercise Better Than Medication, Study Says. Available: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/01/04/neck-pain-chiropractors-exercise-better-than-medication-study-says/. Last accessed 22nd March 2012.
Winter is gone, spring is here!, the time for new life, flowers blooming, the smell of fresh-cut grass and for those unlucky few… time for back pain, unless you listen close!
The main activities we find that cause back pain at this time of year are Gardening, Spring cleaning and DIY. You know the usual chores, “the garden is overgrown and needs a good looking after”, “the gutters are full up with leaves left from last autumn”, “the attic, shed and garage all need a good sort out”. Classic situations that can lead to back pain, in this post I am going to give you some really helpful tips to help you prevent injury.
Tip 1.- Be sensible and know your limits! I am sorry to sound like a nag but this is definitely one for those of you that have suffered from previous episodes of back pain or have had previous operations that may limit your ability. Start any job by first thinking ‘is it really worth causing all that pain and potential loss of earnings for the sake of doing something a much fitter, possibly more experienced and capable person could do?’. Remember, assess the job that needs doing and make a sensible decision about it, it is your body, look after it, ask yourself, ‘is it capable?’ and ‘is it really worth the risk?’
Tip 2.- Co-Contraction. Sounds funny doesn’t it?, don’t worry, its sooo simple! and sooo effective! Co-contraction is simply tucking in or contracting the lower part of you belly by just 10-20%, your belly button should tuck in a little when you do this. Holding this contraction will cause a belt of support around your waist and spine, its like those belts weight lifters use but its built-in!, great hey?. Hold this whenever you are attempting to bend over or pick up anything (i.e lifting boxes, mowing the lawn, using the vacuum cleaner, climbing a ladder, pretty much all the time if you can!). It is great, the best part is, that if you keep doing this for 2 weeks constantly it becomes automatic. So what I tell my patients is “co-contract, co-contract, co-contract!!”, the more you think about using it now, the less you will have to in the future.
Tip 3.- Bend from your hips, not from your back! I know, I know, someone has told you something similar already but its time to mop up the nonsense and explain exactly how and why everyone needs to do this. If you need to lean forward (i.e mowing grass or working at a workbench) or bend down (picking up a box or some leaves) then use your hips and knees to lean forward or get lower and keep your back as straight as possible, remember to co-contract!! 
. You have been blessed with hips and knees, so use them!, your back is not designed to lift loads while flexed, your hips and knees are. Another way you can get lower is opening up your stance so your legs are further apart and then bend from your hips. Also, try keeping your head up once you have a good grip as this helps you keep your back straight. Look at you body, have you ever wondered why your bum is so big? (sorry to those offended 
), it is designed to keep your top half upright and help you and your hips in lifting weight. Bending from the hips will take off a huge amount of strain from your back which will lead to an increase in back support and decrease the risk of getting back pain.
One last piece of advice, your spine is weakest when it is flexed and rotated, so please, remember not to bend and twist your back this spring! enjoy the sun everybody.
I hope this has helped you understand a bit more about your body and Chiropractic, If you have any questions on this topic send me an e-mail at danny@longlevenschiro.com To view more of my blogs visit www.chirobeans.wordpress.com
If you live in Gloucester or surrounding areas and are interested my Chiropractic services and what I can do to help you, then book an appointment to see Danny at the Longlevens Chiropractic and Sports Injury Clinic on 01452 309372
There a variety of different headache types, evidence shows that chiropractic can help treat two of the most common types, these are migraines and cervicogenic headaches. During a consultation a chiropractor will assess you and form a working diagnosis as to which type of headache he thinks you are suffering from. They will then inform you as to whether they feel you would benefit from chiropractic treatment.
Treating ‘Migraines‘
Although migraine attacks affect a significant number of people, the triggering processes for the headaches are not fully understood. Many different triggering processes have been noted by sufferers in the past and finding the one that affects you may be the key into helping you prevent them reoccuring.
What is known about Migraines are that they have been found to be due to changes in the function of the blood or nervous systems in specific areas of the brain as well as due to changes in chemical balances within the body. With Chiropractic care, migraines may not be cured completely, though the frequency and the severity of the headaches has been found to be reduced (Ruegg, Shaw and Descarreaux et al, 2011), the mechanism of why this happens is currently unknown though there are theories.
One high quality research paper suggests that the relief of stress as a result of chiropractic care may be one of the reasons chiropractic treatment helps migraines they found that “83% of participants reported stress as a major factor for their migraines.” they then continue “It appears probable that chiropractic care has an effect on the physical conditions related to stress and that in these people the effects of the migraine are reduced.” (Tuchin, Pollard and Bonello, 2000)
Treating ‘Cervicogenic headaches‘
Cervicogenic headaches are headaches that are as a result of pain and restriction within the neck. Cervico- means cervical region of the spine (the top 7 vertebrae that make up your neck) and -genic means the beginning (as in genesis). The second most commonly treated problem by chiropractors after lower back pain is neck pain and dysfunction. By using a variety of techniques a chiropractor can help treat your neck’s joints and musculature which in turn can have a profound effect on relieving cervicogenic headaches by treating the true cause.
If you suffer from pesistant reoccurring headaches, try arranging an assesment with a chiropractor. You may be very surprised as to the difference chiropractic treatment can make to your quality of life.
References:
Ruegg R., Shaw L., Descarreaux M., Sorra K., Bryans R., Duranleau M., Marcoux H., Potter B., Watkin R., White E.. (2011). Evidence-based guideline for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. Clinical Chiropractic. 14 (4), 173-174.
Tuchin P.J., Pollard H., Bonello R. (2000). A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 23 (2), 91-95
I hope this has helped you understand a bit more about your body and Chiropractic, If you have any questions on this topic send me an e-mail at danny@longlevenschiro.com
Indian Head Massage is based on the ayurvedic system of healing and is an effective therapy that has evolved from traditional techniques practiced in India for thousands of years.
The treatment involves massage to the upper back, shoulders, upper arms, neck, face and scalp, with the client remaining seated in an upright position.
The aim of Indian head massage is to release the stress that has accumulated in the tissues and muscles of the head, face, neck and shoulders.
Indian head massage is especially good for relieving stress, tension, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, headaches, migraine and sinusitis. It is a calming and relaxing treatment that will also leave you feeling alert and be able to concentrate.
Discover Gloucester’s Chiropractic Care Haven – Where Expert Back Pain Relief Meets Compassionate Care. Visit Us Today!
To book an appointment call us on 01452 309372, use our contact form or email info@longlevenschiro.com
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