Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Numbness to fingers
Numbness to your fingers is often due to nerve irritation from a joint in the neck or arm. Sometimes it can be due to other reasons, such as diabetic neuropathy. Let's focus on the the issue from the perspective of a joint problem. Sometimes things happen that causes a joint to become misaligned. This misalignment causes immediate irritation to the nerves in the area (the nerves go through the joints), which in turn causes the associated muscles to spasm. The muscles are attached to the joints (muscles are what moves our joints) and pull on the already misaligned joint, causing further irritation. With enough irritation, inflammation sets in, which in turn restarts the problem because the inflammation also irritates the nerves and so the process continues and can cause symptoms such as pain and numbness and can eventually lead to arthritis - unless the situation is corrected. chiropractic adjustments and de-inflaming the area as well as using techniques to relax the muscles are what is needed. A chiropractor has the training to find the exact joints that are irritated and then knows the exact chiropractic technique to correct the misalignment. After receiving these corrections, or adjustment, the areas in question need to calm down. imagine hitting your thumb with a hammer. Even though you stop hitting it, it takes a while for the throbbing and swelling to go away. Although chiropractic adjustments can and often do provide instant relief, if there is inflammation, then it will require some anti-inflammation techniques as well to accomplish your goal. I recommend three things (four if you include time to heal): They are: water, ice, and a pill. drink a lot of water after getting adjusted. Water will essentially help to wash away inflammation from the inside. Ice - don't use heat initially. heat feels better, but will increase the circulation and hence bring more fluid and pressure to the inflamed and irritated joint. Ice will decrease the inflammation and numb out the pain. i recommend 15 minutes with a cold pack in a thin covering such as a pillow case. And if you think you need it, it is OK to take an over the counter anti inflammatory pill like alleve or advill. Numbness to the finger can come from a joint misalignment to the wrist, elbow, or shoulders, but more often than not is from a misalignment to the neck. Go to a chiropractor. if you live in the Tampa area, give us a call (813) 831-8321 or visit our web site http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com
Monday, December 9, 2013
Auto Accidents and the Holidays
Are you in a hurry to get your Christmas shopping done? Slow down and remember that a car accident can really ruin your day and even your life. Be careful and watch out for those people who are stressed out and in a hurry. If misfortune should find you and if you have been in a car accident, chiropractic can help. In the state of Florida, make sure that you get to a chiropractor within 14 days or your insurance will not cover you. Also, if you see a medical doctor who writes a letter that you need emergency medical care, then your insurance will cover you for the full amount of $10,000, otherwise they may only cover you for $2500.
Call us for more information or to make an appointment for chiropractic care (813) 831-8321 or visit our web site http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com/auto-accident.html
Call us for more information or to make an appointment for chiropractic care (813) 831-8321 or visit our web site http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com/auto-accident.html
Friday, September 6, 2013
Desensitize your Allergies
My wife told me recently that she saw a news report that said that Ragweed and some other pollen (maybe grass) is at an "all-time" high in Tampa. Bring in a sample of Ragweed, Grass, Cat hair, or whatever you can put into a zip lock baggie that you know you are allergic to, and let's desensitize you. I use an allergy desensitizing method taught to me by Dr. John Brimhall, called A/SERT. Everything has energy. You have energy, cats have energy, ragweed has energy, and even cat hair, cat dander, and pollen has energy. If you could bring that thing that you know that you are allergic to into our office, we could use techniques that might desensitize you and hopefully help you to become less allergic. While you hold the allergen, which would basically merge your energy to the energy of the allergen, I, Dr. Steve Edelson, would use the A/SERT technique on you. It might take a few sessions, but think about the reward of not having allergies. No more sneezing, runny nose, etc. - give us a call (813) 831-8321 or send an email drsteve.tampa@gmail.com to make an appointment. Our web sites are http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com and http://drsteve.ws
Thursday, July 25, 2013
One adjustment or more?
Sometimes one adjustment fixes the problem. Often times, and for most people, it takes a few visits to a chiropractor to fix the problem. This is because of tight muscles. When a joint goes out of place, nerves get irritated. The irritated nerves then send their irritated impulses to the muscles that attach to the joint and they goes into spasm. When they go into spasm they pull on the misaligned joint which re-irritates the nerve and the cycle continues. With all of this irritation, the nerves and surrounding tissue become inflamed, which also irritates the nerve. That is why I always recommend for people to do the three anti-inflammation tasks - water, ice, and a pill. Drink plenty of water. Use a cold pack on the area for 15 to 20 minutes a couple of times each day while the problem persists. And, take an anti-inflammatory that is available over the counter (such as ibuprofen, Alleve, or Advil). Massage is also recommended to go along with chiropractic because it relaxes the muscles that keep pulling these joints out of place. So - if one adjustment did not work for you, it probably means that your muscles pulled those affected joints out of place. Usually a handful of visits to a chiropractor does the trick. Each time you are adjusted the muscles stretch a little and there is less irritation because the joint has been put back into place and hopefully you are doing the three anti-inflammation tasks. Some people are not happy to hear that it might take a few visits to fix a problem like this, especially if only one adjustment "fixed" them in the past. Just know that what happened in the past might be different than what is happening to you today. Gentle stretching of the area can be helpful as well. Check my web site for stretches and exercises that can be helpful, and let us know if you would like an appointment. (813) 831-8321 http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com
The Skull
Thursday, July 18, 2013
The Puzzle
Health has many aspects. Ignore one of them and the puzzle of good health might not come together for you. As a chiropractor, I know that freeing your nervous system from irritation caused by misaligned joints is an important part of this package of "must do" health restoring and maintaining activities. What are some of the others? Good nutrition, drinking a lot of clean alkaline water, positive mental (and perhaps spiritual) thinking, dental care, good hygiene, and of course - exercise.
By helping increase mobility in your neck, mid back, and lower back, chiropractic care improves your body's overall functioning, including balance and coordination. By helping remove ongoing sources of musculoskeletal irritation, chiropractic care reduces internal physiologic stress. The many benefits may include improved peace of mind, enhanced interpersonal communication, and a better ability to respond effectively to your home and work environment.
Here is a link for a great article about exercise and chiropractic http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com/index.php?newsletters=18501
By helping increase mobility in your neck, mid back, and lower back, chiropractic care improves your body's overall functioning, including balance and coordination. By helping remove ongoing sources of musculoskeletal irritation, chiropractic care reduces internal physiologic stress. The many benefits may include improved peace of mind, enhanced interpersonal communication, and a better ability to respond effectively to your home and work environment.
Here is a link for a great article about exercise and chiropractic http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com/index.php?newsletters=18501
Saturday, July 13, 2013
http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com/ stop that pain in the neck. Many people suffer from neck pain and never know that they can put an end to the pain without drugs or surgery by visiting their local chiropractor. Chiropractic has been around since 1895. Doctors of chiropractic are highly trained professionals. A chiropractic adjustment is a gentle safe scientific method of restoring a joint to its normal position and range of motion, there by eliminating irritation to the associated nerves that cause pain. It really works.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Newsletter
What Should I Do About My Pain?
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| Chiropractic Care and Neck and Back Pain |
Your chiropractor is your primary resource for evaluation and treatment of neck pain and low back pain. The majority of these spinal complaints are caused by irritation and inflammation of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that help create the structure of the spinal column and provide for full mobility of the spinal vertebras. By locating regions of your spine where mobility is decreased, your chiropractor identifies areas in need of treatment. By restoring mobility to spinal segments, chiropractic care helps remove the source of neck pain and back pain.
An additional benefit of chiropractic care is the removal of nerve interference. Irritation and inflammation of spinal soft tissues negatively affects the normal function of spinal nerves. The ability of these important neural pathways to transmit information from your brain to the rest of your body is compromised. The result may be a wide range of health problems. By addressing the root of many of these problems at the source, chiropractic care helps contribute to your overall health and well-being.
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No one really wants to be a worrier. We certainly don't want to visit our chiropractor or family doctor for every ache and pain. But eventually we all experience physical problems and it may be difficult to know what to do about them. Some problems are immediate and serious. If you suddenly experience crushing chest pain and radiating pain down your left arm, possibly with nausea, profuse perspiration, and a feeling of impending doom, you know you have to call "911" immediately, if you can. If you awaken in the middle of the night with an intense, deep, sharp pain in your lower right abdomen, accompanied by vomiting and a fever, you know you need to go to the Emergency Room right away. In these exceptional cases, however, most people know which steps to take. What should you do when your pain is not clear-cut and dramatic, as it is in a heart attack or acute appendicitis? General guidelines are available which may be applicable in many situations.
Overall, pain is a warning signal. But many problems that cause pain take care of themselves. For example, you may twist an ankle on your daily walk. It may hurt to put weight on that ankle and there may even be a bit of swelling, but within two days your ankle is much better. There was initial pain owing to soft tissue injury, possibly involving muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments. However, the injury wasn't so severe that your body's ability to self-heal couldn't manage the situation. In the case of a greater degree of initial pain and more swelling, or if improvement wasn't being obtained within 48 hours, a visit to your chiropractor would be appropriate. In borderline situations involving musculoskeletal pain, whether you choose to seek professional advice depends on your intuition and level of pain tolerance. If you think something is "wrong", regardless of the nature of the injury or the intensity of your pain, you should seek professional assistance.
With some categories of physical problems, making the time to visit your chiropractor is the best course of action.1,2 A single occurrence of low back pain or neck pain could be ignored, especially if the problem goes away in a few days. But repetitive episodes of spinal pain should always be evaluated by your chiropractor. A severe headache should probably lead to a chiropractic examination, especially if you've never before had the type of pain and the intensity of pain that you're currently experiencing. Persistent radiating pain into an arm or leg, accompanied by numbness and tingling, should be evaluated by your chiropractor. Again, if discomfort persists and you can't clearly explain to yourself why you're having the pain that you're having, the best thing to do is to make an appointment to see your doctor, that is, your chiropractor or your family physician. You want to obtain expert information and advice, and you want to receive treatment if needed and instructions on how to care for yourself in the days, weeks, and months ahead.3
Comfort level is a valuable criterion with respect to your overall health and well-being. After considering the general guidelines, people should take the appropriate action that they believe will best serve their welfare.
1Smart KM: Mechanisms-based classifications of musculoskeletal pain. Part 1. Symptoms and signs of central sensitisation in patients with low back (plus/minus leg) pain. Man Ther 17(4):336-344, 2012
2Thornton GM, Hart DA: The interface of mechanical loading and biological variables as they pertain to the development of tendinosis. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact 11(2):94-105, 2011
3McCarberg BH, et al: Diagnosis and treatment of low-back pain because of paraspinous muscle spasm: a physician roundtable. Pain Med 12(Suppl 4):S119-S127, 2011
Dr. Steve Edelson http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com (813) 831-8321
Thursday, April 25, 2013
NewsletterHow Much Exercise Is Enough Exercise?
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| Chiropractic Care and Healthy Exercise |
Regular chiropractic care is an important part of achieving our long-term goals for health, wellness, and well-being. In terms of participating in consistent, vigorous exercise, regular chiropractic care helps us stay on track by minimizing the chances of sustaining an exercise-related injury. Also, regular chiropractic care helps us get back to our exercise program as quickly as possible if we have, in fact, suffered a strain, sprain, or other injury while engaging in our exercise activities.
Many exercise-related injuries occur because muscles and tendons have become tight and joints such as the shoulder and knee have lost their full mobility. Spinal muscles and joints can also lose range of motion as a result of tightness and inflammation. By identifying and correcting the sources of irritation and limitation, regular chiropractic care helps ensure that you get the most out of the time you spend exercising.
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Most of us would agree that we want to be as healthy as we can. Thanks to a steady barrage of commentary by talking heads on television and articles by "experts" in weekend editions of newspapers and magazines, most of us are aware that enjoying good health has a lot to do with specific habits of nutrition and exercise. The big challenge is to find enough time in the day to do all the things required to fulfill these habits. Part of this challenge is actually being willing to find the time to get all these things done in addition to everything else we have to do. Sometimes, on certain days, it may not be possible to find the time required. But good health is obtained over months and years and what's needed is a long-term plan to achieve goals of healthy nutrition and regular, vigorous exercise. A critical starting point is knowing your basic needs, that is, knowing the minimum requirements for good health.1
Many studies have examined these minimum requirements, concluding that 30 minutes of vigorous exercise, five days per week, is sufficient to obtain multiple health benefits. For example, both the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week.2 People who engage in such a consistent exercise program find that they're not only fitter and trimmer, but they are sleeping better, have increased concentration during the day, and have an improved outlook on life. Importantly, those who exercise regularly have a significantly decreased risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.3 The long-term impact of exercise on our health is profound.
But there's a disconnect. Everybody knows that exercise is important. But almost three-quarters of adults do not get enough physical activity to meet public health recommendations. The immediate result is that almost two-thirds of American adults are overweight and almost one-third are obese. Worldwide, more than 1.4 billion adults are overweight.
The missing link is personal motivation and the key action step is to get started. Exercise has a way of carrying you along. Once you begin and successfully fight the battle of inertia and lethargy to make it through a couple of weeks of consistent, vigorous exercise, you'll find that you want to do it again the next day. The struggle to find time seems to fade into the background as you become a person who exercises. You'll likely discover that your life is being transformed in numerous, wonderful ways.
Thirty minutes of exercise, five days a week, is the key. You can do more, of course, but meeting the minimum requirement is the main goal. The choice of exercise is up to you. There are no firm guidelines regarding what kinds of activities to do. For many a good approach is to mix and match, alternating cardiovascular days with strength training days. Cardiovascular exercise includes walking, running, swimming, cycling, and cross-country skiing. Similarly, strength training can be done in a variety of ways. Overall, there's no right formula to use in developing your personal exercise program - what works for you, works for you. What there is to focus on is getting it done - 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
1Li J, Siegrist J: Physical activity and risk of cardiovascular disease--a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Environ Res Public Health 9(2): 391-407, 2012
2Haskell WL, et al. Physical Activity and Public Health. Updated Recommendations for Adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. American Heart Association, 2007.
3Golbidi S, Laher I: Exercise and the cardiovascular system. Cardiol Res Pract 2012, Article ID 210852, 15 pages doi:10.1155/2012/210852
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