Back pain is one of the most common reasons pregnant women come into our office.  Although getting adjusted may help alleviate low back pain in soon to be mom’s, there are far greater benefits to beginning chiropractic care as early as you can!

One of the most important aspects of caring for a pregnant woman is the ability to keep her stress levels down and her nervous system functioning at 100%.  Regardless of the types of stress, they all have major implications to the fetus.  The increase in adrenaline while under stress can cause an increase in fetal heart rate and a DECREASE in fetal oxygen supply.  Getting adjusted will help restore balance within the nervous system and decrease the effects that stress has on the body.

While the fetus grows, the mother’s body is going through numerous musculoskeletal changes.  Over 30 years ago, Dr. Larry Webster developed a technique to help reduce the effects of sacral subluxation on the pregnant woman....

Arthritis is a very common diagnosis these days and the most important thing to remember is it’s not a death sentence.  I think people are very scared of the term arthritis, when it can be a very manageable condition.  By definition, arthritis means joint inflammation.  It refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that cause joint swelling and pain.

Some cases of arthritis can be helped by your chiropractor or massage therapist. Maintaining proper motion of a joint can prevent the damage caused by abnormal wear and tear.  Other cases of arthritis can be improved with diet changes and the addition of supplements.  Let us discuss a few types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

This is the most common form and results from excessive wear and tear.  Most often OA affects the large weight-bearing joints of the body such as hips, knees and spine.  Repetitive stress, obesity and trauma can increase your risk for...

One of the greatest aspects of Facebook is the ability for articles and blog posts to go viral very quickly.  Just the other day a friend from Chiropractic School posted a link to a blog that discussed common chiropractic myths.  It was such a great article I thought I would take a couple of those to share here.

The only way to advance a profession that I am extremely passionate about is to increase awareness and education.  Stay tuned for a future post on even MORE myth’s debunked!

Chiropractic Myth #1: Chiropractors are not REAL doctors.  Not only is this myth not true, but it is extremely offensive.  Even chiropractic patients are guilty of saying “I need to talk to my real or regular doctor”.  A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of chChiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. The chiropractic and medical school...

We have all heard the symptoms of a concussion in young athletes; loss of consciousness, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and so on. But did you know a Second Impact concussion could cause devastating and permanent injury?

Second Impact Syndrome is when a second concussion occurs before a first concussion has properly healed. This causes rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results. Second Impact Syndrome can result from even a very mild concussion that occurs days or weeks after the initial concussion.

Many young athletes are eager to return to their sport but it is imperative to allow their developing bodies adequate time to heal. Respiratory failure, permanent brain injury and even death are a reality if athletes don’t fully recover from a concussion before incurring another.

It is imperative following a concussion that you avoid all external stimulation from touchscreen phones, computers, ipads and televisions.  You must report to your doctor any...

VCD-EILO also know as Vocal Cord Dysfunction-Exercise Induced Laryngeal Obstruction is often being misdiagnosed as asthma. VCD-EILO is a type of vocal cord dysfunction that is triggered by exercise. Rather than opening, the vocal cord and laryngeal tissue close, affecting the athlete’s breathing pattern, stress level and performance. The apparent symptom is shortness of breath which may relate to asthma.

The best way to diagnosis VCD-EILO is to have an endoscopic study to monitor the vocal cords when they are in the height if exercises. If this can not be done then the physician will make the diagnosis if the athlete meets the parameters of vocal cord dysfunction. Early recognition or early suspicion can be helpful to refer to the appropriate expert. 

VCD-EILO Symptoms                Asthma Symptoms

Breathing sounds high pitched, grating        Breathing sounds like wheezing

Struggle...

The Difference Between a Strain and a Sprain

A strain is a slight stretching or complete rupture/tear of muscle fibers.  This injury usually occurs between the muscle belly and the tendon of the muscle.  This can occur within muscle fibers when the fibers become over stretched or when the muscle generates more forces than it can stand.  There are three degrees for muscles strains:

• First-degree: involves over stretching of some of the muscle fibers which can cause point tenderness in the involved area, mild swelling, and pain with muscle contraction.

• Second-degree: involves some of the muscle fibers actually tearing. Some of the symptoms include point tenderness to the involved muscle, swelling, bruising, and pain with muscle contraction.

• Third-degree: involves a complete rupture/tear to the muscle fibers and blood vessels. Symptoms for this include pain, loss of function, evident defect where the muscle ruptured, swelling, and bruising.

A sprain is a slight...

One of the main questions we are asked here at North Shore Pro-Active Health is; “Should I be using ice or heat?” It is a very good question to ask since many patients are unsure of the answer. The answer is; it all depends on the injury type.  Is the injury in the acute phase or the chronic phase?

There are two basic types of athletic injuries: acute and chronic. Acute pain is of rapid onset and short-lived, or chronic pain develops slowly and is persistent and long-lasting. Acute injuries are sudden, sharp, traumatic injuries that occur immediately (or within hours) and cause pain.  Acute injuries also cause common signs and symptoms of injury such as pain, tenderness, redness, skin that is warm to the touch, swelling and inflammation. If you have swelling, you have an acute injury.

Chronic injuries, on the other hand, can be subtle and slow to develop. They sometimes come and go, and may cause dull pain or soreness. They are often the result of overuse,...

After deciding that Chiropractic care is right for you take a few minutes to research your options.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there are currently almost 30,000  Chiropractors in practice in the United States.  Not only will their chiropractic education vary slightly since there are 17 different schools to choose from; but their post graduate classes and even pre-chiropractic experience will differ greatly.  Do your due diligence in finding not only an office but physician that you synchronize with.   There are four areas that I recommend investigating prior to making an appointment or committing to care.

Social Media

• Do they have a facebook page?  How many likes, comments, interactions do they have?
• Do they have a website?  Is it current?  Are there client testimonials?  A virtual tour?
• How are their Yelp reviews?  Do they interact with clients?  Address problem or less than perfect reviews?

The Office...

It's tough navigating through the challenging world of health insurance especially if you do not have the basic terminology down. Below are some common terms and definitions to help you understand health insurance. Feel free to save this blog for future reference!  

Premium

The premium is the amount you (or your employer) pay for your health insurance plan whether you use medical services or not. In most cases, it’s paid monthly, but can be paid every 3 months or yearly.

Deductible

A deductible is the amount you must pay before the health plan starts paying for your covered services. For example, if your deductible is $1,000, your plan won’t pay for some services until you’ve paid $1,000. In most cases, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium. The lower the deductible, the higher premium.

Coinsurance

Coinsurance is the percentage of the cost that you must pay for a covered service. It applies after you meet your deductible.

For example,...

Knowing the differences between medical insurance plans will help you choose the one that’s right for your health care needs.

PPO stands for preferred provider organization

EPO stands for exclusive provider organization.

Both plans use a network of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals. The difference between them is the way you interact with those networks.

PPO plans give you more flexibility. You don’t need a primary care physician and you can go to any health care professional you want without a referral—inside or outside of your network.

Staying inside your network means smaller copays and full coverage. If you choose to go outside your network, you’ll have higher out-of-pocket costs, and all services may not be covered.

EPO plans combine the flexibility of PPO plans with the cost-savings of HMO plans. While you do not need to choose a primary care physician with your EPO plan and you don’t...