Weekend Warrior

Sports and Chiropractic

Many professional, Olympic, college, high school, and weekend athletes have found the benefits of Chiropractic care. Injuries to the spine or extremity can restrict motion, reduce reflexes, impair balance and timing, decrease muscle strength and balance and cause over all decrease in performance. Athletes demand results, and chiropractic care provides them.

Chiropractic care helps restore function to the spinal joints and extremities that are not moving properly. This helps relieve pain, inflammation, and increase nerve function to the body. It will increase range of motion, and the healing ability of the body. By normalizing the spinal function of the body it will speed up the healing of the soft tissues and reduce the deconditioning effect of being out of action.

Dr. Skrien Has Helped With These Sports Related Injuries With Chiropractic and Active Care:

• Tennis elbow
• Golfers elbow
• Rotator cuff and shoulder injuries
• Knee problems
• Ankle sprains
• Foot problems
• Low back pain
• Neck pain
• Stingers
• And other sports injuries

He also helps athletes gain a competitive edge by designing specific chiropractic and active care programs for them.

Dr. Skrien is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. He has taken specialized training in the sports field of chiropractic care. He has been helping athletes of all levels since 1993. 

Don’t stay on the side lines any more. Find out what others have, get in and have an evaluation today.

 http://chiropracticfamilyclinic.net/

Blood Pressure Guidelines For Care

Making Sense of Guidelines for Care

Chiropractic Care and Chronic Health Problems

Chronic health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes often require treatment plans from several different specialists. Effective treatment of high blood pressure may involve a person’s family physician, internist, and cardiologist. A person with diabetes may be receiving treatment from her internist and endocrinologist, and possibly from an ophthalmologist and even a neurologist. An additional key specialist involved in any of these scenarios is a chiropractor. Of course, chiropractic care is not directed toward treatment of any disease. Rather, chiropractic care focuses on the health and well being of the whole person. By concentrating on biomechanics and the nerve system, that is, the integrity and functioning of the spinal column and spinal nerves, chiropractic care helps ensure that the body as a whole is working effectively. This means that whatever a person’s clinical circumstances may be, regular chiropractic care is essential to his or her long-term health. Your chiropractor is a key member of your health care team in any situation.

Not too long ago, the Eighth Joint National Committee (originally commissioned by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) released a new set of evidence-based guidelines for evaluation and treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). The guidelines committee, comprised of 17 academics, spent five years reviewing evidence as preparation for developing the new recommendations.
The committee’s report represents nothing less than a sea change in the treatment of patients with higher-than-normal blood pressure readings. The primary shift is from a long-held standard of implementing treatment when a person’s blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mmHg. The new guidelines recommend beginning treatment only when blood pressure readings are higher than 150/90 mmHg. The new standard is a huge modification of decades-old practice methods, and has generated substantial controversy.^1.2 Of course, a good portion of the pushback is from those who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, such as physicians who dispense medications from their office and earn substantial income from selling antihypertensive drugs at multiples of their wholesale costs. In addition to physicians who act as pharmacies, drug companies who manufacture antihypertensive medications also stand to lose significant revenue. But aside from considerations related to the practice of medicine as a business, the real issues should be focused on the benefits and harms to patients. In this context, it may be reasonably stated that fewer medications are, by and large, a good thing.
The new blood pressure guidelines have two primary impacts. First, for people over age 60, treatment for presumed hypertension should be initiated when blood pressure readings are higher than 150/90 mm/Hg. More than 7.4 million Americans over age 60 will be in the new safe range. Many of these millions of people have been taking antihypertensive medication for years, possibly needlessly as implied by the new guidelines. Next, for all those under age 60, there is insufficient medical evidence that a systolic blood pressure (the first number in the reading) threshold exists that would dictate treatment. In other words, for many years the systolic threshold had been 140 (as in 140/90 mmHg). Higher systolic readings virtually mandated antihypertensive treatment. Although the committee expressed its opinion that the systolic threshold of 140 mmHg ought to be maintained for those younger than age 60, even though evidence for such a threshold is weak. Thus, it may be that many millions more people have been taking antihypertensive medication without such recommendations being backed by sound scientific research.
The point here is not that people should stop taking their blood pressure medication.³ All such types of decisions should be made in consultation with the prescribing physician. The main consideration is having the ability to make informed choices. Some medication regimens may be appropriate. Some may not. Some may need to be reevaluated. As always, regular chiropractic care is of value by providing you with the best opportunity to achieve maximum good health.
¹Mitka M:Groups spar over new hypertension guidelines. JAMA 311(7):663-664, 2014
²Kieldsen SE, et al: Hypertension management by practice guidelines. Blood Press 23(1):1-2, 2014
³Sheppard JP, et al: Missed opportunities in prevention of cardiovascular disease in primary care: a cross-sectional study. Br J Pract 2014, Jan;64(618):e38-46. doi: 10.3399/bjgp14X676447

DOT Physicals

Full Services for your DOT needs.

Dr. Skrien is a Certified Medical Examiner #328871785 and also Certified to do DOT Examinations and also is a Certified to do DOT Drug and Alcohol Screenings .

The DOT requires drivers to have a current Medical Examiner's Certificate that they are physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle. Anyone who does any of the following will need to have this...

If you drive a commercial vehicle that is over 10,000 lbs. Transport hazardous materials. Capable of carrying  8 or more passengers (including driver) for compensation. Capable of transporting more than 15 passengers (including driver) not for compensation.

The physical includes a health history (please bring in address of any other Dr. that you have treated with in the past for any health conditions), vision and hearing exam, heart and lung auscultation, blood pressure/ height/ weight, neuro- muscular examination and urinary analysis. What do you need to bring to the examinations? 1) Driver's license as proof of identity 2) If you take any medications you need to bring a list of all current medications (including over the counter and supplements), their dosage, and prescribing doctor's name. 3) If you wear contacts of eye glasses please have them in or bring them. 4) Payment is to be paid at time of the examinations. We take cash are credit card.  http://chiropracticfamilyclinic.net/

Rotator Cuff Treatment

Repairing an Injured Rotator Cuff

Regular Chiropractic Care and Injury Rehabilitation

Recovery from injury can’t be rushed, but the rehabilitation process can be impeded or facilitated. In other words, sufficient time is required to allow for healing of damaged structures. Re-injury is possible if you attempt to return to full activity before healing is complete. In contrast, use of tested rehabilitative protocols help you prepare properly for return to full activity and may even help you to come back stronger. Regular chiropractic care is an important component of injury rehabilitation. By helping ensure that your spinal column is well aligned, regular chiropractic care facilitates optimal functioning of all of your body’s systems. Mechanical loads are balanced so your spine, hips, legs, and arms work effectively, aiding in the recovery process. Spinal nerve irritation is reduced and removed, helping your internal organ systems do their job properly. As a result, oxygen and nutrition are delivered where they’re needed most. Regular chiropractic care supports your rehabilitation program and the healing process, helping you get back as quickly as possible to doing the things you want to do.

As we get older, rotator cuff injuries become more common, a result of the natural aging process. A similar mechanism operates in the discs separating the vertebras in your lower back. These cartilaginous structures lose water over time, becoming less flexible and more brittle as the decades roll by. In the case of the shoulder, the rotator cuff tendon is pulleyed to and fro as the arm swings forward and back and up and down. As the years pass, this constant motion may cause fraying in the rotator cuff tendon and inflammation in the muscles that comprise the rotator cuff. Eventually, partial or full thickness tears may develop in one or more of these musculotendinous units, causing pain and some loss of function. Importantly, conservative care may be all that’s needed to reduce pain and restore needed motion.

The shoulder joint is beautifully designed and a marvel of engineering. Its construction makes possible a full 360-degree arc of motion in both the sagittal and frontal planes. In other words, you can swing your arm in a complete circle from front-to-back and to-the-side-and-up-and-around. In the third, horizontal, plane, 180 degrees of motion is available. The overall combination of movements in three-dimensional space makes the shoulder joint the most freely movable joint in your body. However, as with all freedoms we enjoy in this life, there is a price. The shoulder joint’s great mobility is countered by its very limited stability.

The shoulder’s lack of stability needn’t concern us in our average day-to-day tasks. Protection to the joint is built-in by way of the rotator cuff muscles, which form a strong hood that envelops the intersection of the arm bone and shoulder blade. Falling on an outstretched arm may result in a dislocated shoulder, so we need to have some care in this regard.

If you’re a young athlete and have suffered a rotator cuff tear, surgery may be an appropriate option.¹ But for the vast majority of people, especially for those over age 40, most rotator cuff injuries are chronic rather than acute and can be treated with rest and rehabilitative exercise. Again, if you’re a 60-year-old skier who has torn his or her rotator cuff in a downhill accident, surgery could be indicated. For the rest of us, rehabilitative exercise is the key.^2,3

Four or five primary strength training exercises are involved in shoulder or rotator cuff rehabilitation. The three basic shoulder exercises are (1) seated overhead press, which trains all the shoulder girdle muscles simultaneously; (2) standing side [lateral] raise; and (3) seated or standing bent-over raise. The lateral raise specifically trains the middle deltoid muscle and the bent-over raise specifically trains the posterior deltoid muscle. Specific rotator cuff strength training exercises include internal rotation and external rotation on a flat bench using very light dumbbells. More painful injuries with greater loss of mobility may require (1) Codman pendulum exercises and (2) finger-walking (up a wall) to the front and to the side.

The goals of rotator cuff rehabilitation, as for any mechanical injury, include decreased inflammation, decreased pain, return to more full active range of motion, return to more full muscular strength, and restoration of function.

¹ Plate JF, et al: Rotator cuff injuries in professional and recreational athletes. J Surg Orthop Adv 22(2):134-142, 2013

² Escalmilla RF, et al: Optimal management of shoulder impingement syndrome. Open Access J Sports Med 5:13-24, 2014

³ McMahon PJ, et al: What Is the Prevalence of Senior-athlete Rotator Cuff Injuries and Are They Associated With Pain and Dysfunction? Clin Orthop Relat Res 2014 Mar 12. [Epub ahead of print]

 http://chiropracticfamilyclinic.net/

Chiropractic Care for Short-Term and Long-Term Health

Chiropractic Care for Short-Term and Long-Term Health

Chiropractic Care Is Comprehensive Care

Following a complete evaluation, which includes a history and physical examination, your chiropractor will design a care plan that will meet your specific health needs. Your care plan will include chiropractic care focusing on improving function of your spinal column. Your care plan will likely include additional recommendations, such as stretches, exercises, and nutritional planning. Your chiropractic care plan may, depending on the circumstances, include strategies for reducing stress and obtaining proper rest. Your chiropractor is a holistic practitioner who has expertise in many areas of health care. Chiropractic care is well known for its ability to treat musculoskeletal problems such as neck pain, back pain, and headaches. As chiropractic care focuses on the nerve system, your chiropractor may be of benefit in the overall care plan for many other conditions.

Chiropractic care is the one form of health care that keeps on giving. Chiropractic care certainly helps people to recover from short-term health problems, but this powerful method of healing also helps people stay well and assists in preventing new problems from developing.
Your chiropractor treats a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems. Neck pain, back pain, pain that travels from the neck to the arm and hand, pain that travels from the back to the leg and foot, headaches, and muscle spasms are conditions commonly treated by chiropractic care. Your chiropractor also treats many types of exercise- and sports-related injuries, such as rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, wrist sprains, knee injuries, ankle sprains, and shin splints. Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are also treated by chiropractic care. Also, chiropractic care may be a valuable addition to treatment for sleep disorders, digestive problems, menstrual cramps, asthma, and various allergies. Chiropractic care may also be of great assistance during pregnancy, in helping to relieve neck pain and back pain and to ease the process of delivery.
Chiropractic care can be beneficial for so many health problems owing to the fact that chiropractic care directly affects the functioning of your nerve system. Your nerve system, consisting of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves that branch out to the rest of your body, is your master physiologic system. Your nerve system, by sending signals to every cell, tissue, and organ in your body, controls all the other systems. Your heart relies on the nerve system so that it can pump blood at the right time and in the right amount.¹ Your small intestine relies on the nerve system so that it can complete the digestion of food and transmit usable nutrients to the bloodstream.² Your white blood cells and other immune system agents rely on the nerve system so that they can quickly identify and destroy foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses.³
But your nerve system can break down, in a sense, if spinal nerve interference is present. Such nerve interference, caused by irritation and inflammation of spinal nerves, is caused by loss of full mobility of spinal vertebras. Limited spinal motion irritates the muscles that move the spinal bones and the ligaments that hold those bones together. Inflamed spinal muscles and spinal ligaments cause spinal nerve inflammation. The immediate result is distortion in the quality and flow of information sent from the brain to the rest of the body. Too much or too little information is sent to the cells, tissues, and organs. The messages they receive are the wrong messages, or the messages arrive at the wrong time. The outcome is decreased functioning and/or inappropriate functioning of many other physiologic systems. Thus, spinal nerve interference is one of the primary causes of the many problems that may bring a person to his or her chiropractor's office.
Chiropractic care helps reduce and remove nerve interference by restoring increased functioning of your spinal column. The direct result is improved overall functioning of the rest of your body. By directly focusing on your spine and nerve system, your chiropractor can help restore quality of life and overall health and well-being.
¹Muller MD, et al: Mental stress elicits sustained and reproducible increases in skin sympathetic nerve activity. Physiol Rep  2013 Mar 1(1). pii: e00002.
²Zhou G, et al: White-matter microstructural changes in functional dyspepsia: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Am J Gastroenterol 108(2):260-269, 2013
³Straub RH, et al: Role of neuroendocrine and neuroimmune mechanisms in chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases-The 10-year update. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2013 May 31 doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2013.04.008 [Epub ahead of print]

Is your Baby Walking?

Why Do You Need Your Baby Checked?

Before the baby was born you were doing many things to ensure your baby’s health. You ate right, took vitamins, did not drink alcohol, did not smoke, did not use drugs, and did not take over the counter medications. Now that the baby is born you want to do what is right for them.  You are breast feeding them, keeping them away from cigarette smoke, having wellness check ups. But have you had your baby’s spine checked? An unhealthy spine can affect the health of your child. The spine is what protects the nervous system. The nervous system controls all functions of the body. Dr. Skrien is specially trained to check your baby’s spine for areas of vertebral subluxations. The vertebral subluxations cause the nervous system to be in a state of dis-ease, and not working properly. This will cause the health of your baby to less then healthy.

When Does A Baby Need A Spinal Checkup?

Six times in its first year.

• After the birth of the baby. This may be the most traumatic event in their life.
• When they start to hold up their head. Very important in development of the cervical curve.
• When they start to sit up. Think of all the times they tip over and jar their spine.
• When they start to crawl. Start to develop the low back curve in the lumbar spine.
• When they start to stand. Count how many times they fall down and jar the spine.
• When they start to walk. Again see how many times they fall down.

This is according to chiropractic pediatric specialist Larry Webster, D.C.

What Else Can Chiropractic Help With My Childs Health?

For over a hundred years chiropractic has been helping baby’s respond to chiropractic care. These are a few conditions that Dr. Skrien has helped in his clinic with chiropractic care.

• Colic
• Difficulty breast feeding
• Ears, nose and throat infections
• Allergies
• Sleeping disorders
• Projectile vomiting

To have a healthy baby you need to give them the best possible chance. You have had your baby’s eyes checked, heart checked, hearing checked. Now have their spine checked, it could make a big difference in their health for the rest of their lives. 

Morning Back Ache

Dr. Skrien’s - Health Tip of the Week

Morning Backache

           

How you feel when you wake up has a lot to do with how you sleep the night before. If you’ve been waking up stiff and miserable because of poor sleeping posture, overwork and tension, it’s time to see the chiropractor for a “cure”.

            Your doctor of chiropractic can attack the problem two ways; with expert, hands-on treatment to help your back feel better right away and with the know-how you need to get better sleep in the future.

                       

            Chiropractic adjustments are designed to eliminate any spinal subluxations that are causing nerve irritations, restoring the normal flow of nerve energy and helping the body to heal itself. Your chiropractor also can provide guidance in choosing the right kind of mattress for proper support and the placement of extra pillows – under the knees if you sleep on your back, or between you legs if you sleep on your side – for added comfort. Sleeping in an unsupported, face-down position can, in time, cause pain.    

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