Subluxation refers to the spine moving out of alignment. Chiropractic theory holds that subluxation is the cause of many problems with health and thus correcting a subluxation can have a domino effect of positive outcomes in the health of both body and mind. Let’s begin by looking at how subluxation throws a wrench in the works of your nervous system. 

Subluxation creates a network of challenges for your nerves

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Describe: sciatic nerve pain

Sciatic nerve pain refers to pain, feelings of numbness and weakness in the lower body, caused by dysfunction in the sciatic nerve. This nerve, the largest in the human body, stretches from the lower back, through your buttocks and down the back of each leg. It is important to remember that sciatica is not a condition itself but a symptom; there are many causes of sciatica and thus it is important to determine what exactly is causing your pain and dysfunction. 

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 Define: Subluxation

At its most simple, subluxation refers to a misalignment of the vertebrae that causes nerve interference. The spinal cord is your body’s conduit for nerve signalling, through which the brain sends messages to every cell in the body; nerve interference is therefore maleficent because it acts to impede this signalling process, causing the body to function less than optimally. 

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You’ve delivered your baby; now what?

You’ve been through an exhaustive pregnancy, full of emotional and physical ups and downs; through the elation and exhaustion of delivery; now its time to adapt to life with your new little child. Amidst this tumult, it can be easy to forget that you have to support your body as you return to a no-pregnancy body. This is made difficult by a few factors, none greater than the fact that the hormone relaxin remains elevated in the body for up to 6 months after delivery. 

Chiropractic is tailor made for postpartum care

Relaxin is produced by the body in order to loosen the ligaments in preparation for delivery, but now that has come and gone, what is its use? Well for one, your body is in a more pliable state, meaning that it responds well to chiropractic care. But there are some downsides as well: your lower back, pelvis and sacrum are in a state of weakness, vulnerable to damage from excessive movement. Furthermore, we hope that you will be carrying your child quite frequently, and this increased weight from breastfeeding and carrying places a burden on an already weakened spine.

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Focusing on pelvic balance as labor approaches

As the mother moves into the last trimester of pregnancy, thoughts shift toward labor and delivery. During this penultimate phase, the proper alignment of the pelvis and sacrum is of critical importance for the following:

• Preventing dystocia (difficult birth)
• Maintaining plenty of room for the baby to develop healthily
• Keeping the mother free of pain with an optimal immune system. 

Breech positioning, in which the baby presents feet first or buttocks first, is not conducive to a smooth birth. Occurring in about 1 out of every 25 pregnancies, breech position increases the likelihood for surgical intervention because it increases the chances of a child being stuck in the birth canal, causing injury or death, and can damage the umbilical cord, interfering with the child’s oxygen supply. 

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At Hayes Family Chiropractic, we are dedicated to the success of your pregnancy!

Chiropractic is an excellent option for keeping the mother’s body in a state that is conducive to the healthy development of a child. In this way, we increase the likelihood of an easier pregnancy and a safer birth. To demonstrate this point, misalignment of the pelvis is responsible for a host of complications in pregnancy. 

Misalignment of the pelvis and pregnancy

Pelvic misalignment occurs when the woman’s body releases pregnancy hormones that relax ligaments to make way for the passage of the child. At the same time, the added weight of the child shifts the woman’s center of gravity downward and adds more weight (and thus pressure) onto the destabilized spine, shifting it out of alignment. This is responsible for a lot of the back pain that is considered synonymous with pregnancy. 

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 If you are on your way to having a baby, we say congratulations!

At Hayes Family Chiropractic, we have three goals when it comes to this life-changing experience: to make the process as comfortable as possible for the mother, to give the process the greatest chance of success without complication, and to foster a nurturing environment for the child to develop. We offer non-invasive support for the mother’s body during a time of great physical upheaval.

Chiropractic treatment during pregnancy in Dunedin:

Chiropractic adjustment has been shown to be an effective tool that can help prospective mothers in the following ways:

• Reducing aches and pains
• Decreasing muscle tension and mental stress
• Decreasing tension on the womb
• Increasing immune function
• Maintaining proper curvature of the spine
• Maintaining pelvic balance

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Extension-based pain is related to hyperextension of the spine

You guessed it: extension based intolerance is the opposite of flexion-based. Whereas the latter is caused by bending over, extension-based pain is caused by an over-extension of the back; essentially too much arch, often brought on by anterior pelvic tilt, also causes pain. The people most affected by this condition include those who spend most of the day on their feet. In neutral position, the spine is considered “extended,” in a healthy way. Anything beyond this, that accentuates the curve more, becomes hyper-extended and thus, leaves you prone to pain and injury. When the spine remains in this position long enough, conditions such as facet joint syndrome, spondyloisthesis and spinal stenosis can occur. 

A home test for extension-based intolerance

Lie on your back with a normal curve in your spine. Press your back flat to the ground; does this feel better? If so, you may be extension intolerant. Again, don’t despair; the problems here are postural and structural by nature and fortunately, we are well equipped to help you banish extension-based pain. 

Treating extension-based intolerance with chiropractic therapy in Dunedin

We determine whether you have anterior pelvic tilt and prescribe a course of exercises which can reverse this postural deficiency. With chiropractic adjustment, we can restore balance to the spine and alleviate painful nerve compression; from here, we focus on establishing anterior core control by strengthening the muscles of the core without hyperextending the back. Give our office in Dunedin a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Flexion-based intolerance is among the chief causes of back pain in the 21st century. 

To depict everyone as a hunchback would be going to the extreme, but it is worth noting that more people are becoming hunched over- at work in the office, at home on the couch, walking around with their phones; flexion-based back pain chiefly originates from sitting more and doing less. Your spine has a set amount of flexion it can do in its lifetime before it gives in to degeneration; in essence, every time you bend over or slouch or slump, you wear down your spine a little more. Degenerative conditions such as back pain, disc herniation and spinal stenosis are a natural result. 

A home test for flexion-based intolerance

Bend over as if you are reaching for your toes; do you experience any pain or does your pain get worse? This is a good sign you may have flexion intolerance; another is if you experience pain while sitting that goes away while standing and walking. If you are feeling flexion-based intolerance, don’t despair! But do avoid exercises such as:

• Back squats
• Dead lifts
• Sit ups 
• Crunches

These will only exacerbate your pain. Let’s heal you first before you get back to such aggressive movements as dead lifting.

A plan for relieving flexion intolerance and pain with chiropractic therapy in Dunedin

Flexion-based intolerance is common and we want to help you break out of a mold that is causing you pain. We use chiropractic adjustment to address misalignment of the spine that has occurred to encourage the healing of any damage or nerve compression related to subluxation. Once we have rehabilitated any long-standing injury, we introduce motions that help you restore range of motion while limiting motions that cause you pain and help you determine when you are in a flexion dominant position versus neutral. By strenghtening the core stabilizing muscles and restoring normal posture, we can help you leave flexion-based pain behind; give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. 

The best time to workout is, truly, whenever you most feel like it.

While the debate could stop there, it is worth pointing out that certain parts of the day have certain advantages over others. And if you are looking to make a change in your routine, it could be worth changing the time of your routine so that it better fits your schedule, or your motives. For example, do you know when the best time of day is to work out if your primary motive is to lose weight? Read on to find out.

What workout time fits you best? 

Here, we have listed the advantages of morning vs. afternoon

• Morning: mornings offer the most unfilled potential; that is, you haven’t burnt yourself out working or socializing and therefore your will may be strongest in the morning. Some people find that working out in the evening disrupts their sleep pattern, which is another reason to workout when you wake up. For weight watchers, exercising on an empty stomach tends to burn more body fat and studies show that appetite is reduced after morning workouts meaning you may eat more reasonable portions throughout the day. 
• Afternoon: in the afternoon, your body temperature is at its highest point, which is scientifically shown to imbue your muscles with more flexibility, meaning that you may get more out of a given workout. Your brain should also be warmed up by later in the day, meaning that performance will go up and chance for injury down. 

Whatever time you choose, the important thing is that you get moving!

At Hayes Family Chiropractic, we support you no matter what time of the day you think is right for working out. We can help you address physical issues that are holding you back from performing your best including misalignment of the spine, sore muscles and joints, and other musculoskeletal issues. Give our office in Dunedin a call to schedule an appointment today.

Dr. Chris Hayes, D.C.