Washington Park Chiropractic

By: Jenny Wetzel

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?
 
Having a case of the Mondays?
 

Feel like you have a gray cloud following you around everywhere you go?
 
With my psychology background, I decided to google “chiropractic and emotional well-being.”  Well, guess what??  Regular chiropractic care improved the emotional well-being of participants in several studies!!  We all know that seeing our lovely chiropractors’ faces makes our days much better, but now we have proof that the work they do may improve our moods.  Long story short, subluxations in your spine are not only related to physical health issues, but to psychological issues as well.
 
Moral of the story….schedule your next appointment soon!

By: Amanda Miller, LMT

As the use of computers increased, so have back and neck discomfort; the hallmark pain associated with having a desk job.  The reason for this common problem is that it is not natural for humans to sit in the same position for prolonged periods of time, let alone all day.

Sitting in front of the computer desk for long hours can increase muscle stress and put pressure on the spine.  Sitting with a rounded back does several things to cause injury and/or pain.  Rounding your spine forward (slouching) when sitting holds your muscles in a longer than normal position, which weakens them.  It can also slowly degenerate your discs, the little cushions between your back bones, and push the discs outward to the back.  This is how discs can bulge.  Holding your neck tilted forward for much of the time, or angled back with the chin jutting forward may also mechanically harm discs.  Even without disc involvement, soft tissue pain from slouching is uncomfortable.

Here are a few things to be mindful of that may help you to alleviate some of the discomfort associated with sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Read the rest of this entry →

 By: Jennifer Bell, RMT

Menopause, the point in time when a woman’s period stops permanently, is one of the most important journeys in a woman’s life.  Perimenopause is the transitional period leading up to menopause which lasts an average of anywhere from 6 to 13 years.  The average age for a woman to reach menopause is 52 years, but some women reach their last as early as 40 and as late as 58.  The symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, heart palpitations, migraines, breast tenderness and bone loss.

The transition to menopause is created by changes in the brain and body that affect hormone levels, most notably estrogen, progesterone and/or testosterone.  The severity of physical and emotional symptoms during perimenopause depend greatly on how out of balance with wellness your lifestyle has been in the years leading up to this point.  If you approach menopause in a state of physical, emotional and nutritional depletion your symptoms will most likely be more severe than someone who has lead a healthy lifestyle. Read the rest of this entry →

By: Jennifer Bell, RMT

Millions of Americans suffer from arthritis, the most common of which is Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Both forms of arthritis can be debilitating and quite painful to live with. 

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, a condition in which synovial joints (especially knees and hips), lose healthy cartilage, usually as a result of the aging process, often exacerbated by everyday activities that contribute to the thinning of the cartilage that cushions the synovial joint.

For people suffering from Osteoarthritis, a massage, combined with gentle stretching and passive range of motion exercises, can relieve pain in muscles that cross the affected joint. 

Read the rest of this entry →

By: Lisa Bullis, L.AC. 

On February 3^rd (tomorrow) we celebrate the Chinese New Year.  This year is the year of the Rabbit.  As we move out of the tumultuous year of the Tiger we can relax into the more temperate year of the Rabbit.  According to Chinese tradition the Rabbit year brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves. To gain the greatest benefits from this time, focus on home, family, security, diplomacy, and your relationships with women and children.   Make it a goal to create a safe, peaceful lifestyle, so you will be able to calmly deal with any problem that may arise.

People born in the Year of the Rabbit tend to be articulate, talented, and ambitious.  They tend to be calm and gentle but persistent.  They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper.

You are a Rabbit if you were born in: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, or 2011.

By: Dr. Lisa Goodman, DC

Washington Park Chiropractic offers Infant Massage classes for parents & babies to promote bonding and development of the baby.  I was nervous and excited to bring 10 week old Nate to one of Amanda’s classes earlier this week.  Nervous because I wasn’t sure how he would like being worked on and excited to finally see what this was all about.

The class started with Amanda discussing what we would do and how long we would spend.  She had cozy areas on the floor with pillows for mom and dad to sit on and a body pillow ‘nest’ covered in warm towels for the baby to snuggle in.  She also provided us with vitamin E oil (to take home) and use for the massage.  The class can last from 20 min to an hour depending on the baby.  Our class lasted about 30 minutes.   I started by showing Nate my hands and asking him if I could massage him!  He agreed. 

Most parents will agree there is nothing more precious than a naked baby!  It was so much fun learning the massage techniques and watching Nate coo and relax as we introduced them to him.  He really liked having his legs worked on!  Amanda demonstrated a variety (20+) strokes to use on the baby.  In fact, since his massage, Nate has been sleeping great, digesting great and has been overall incredibly happy.  To be fair, he didn’t really have any problems in those areas prior to the massage. 

According to Amanda, the best part about introducing your little one to massage is that they will get so used to being massaged they will start massaging mom and dad!  Foot rub anyone?

I plan to send Nate back to Amanda with his dad so that they can have some bonding time with massage before or after bath!

Click here to learn more about the infant massage lessons and other massage services our therapists offer.

By: Lisa Bullis, L.Ac.

When acupuncture was imported to the U.S. it presented a new opportunity to tailor it to anew population. Most practitioners found that a private, spa-like atmosphere would be the most comfortable for patients.  Additionally, because acupuncturists are required to have extensive training (a masters degree) the price per treatment would be higher.  When I first began practicing, I offered private treatments, charging $75 per treatment.  After several years of this I was discouraged by the fact that many patients couldn’t afford to get treatments with enough regularity to make significant changes in their health.  Many people don’t understand that acupuncture is most effective when sessions are frequent, especially when first beginning treatment.

Community-style acupuncture is a U.S. adaptation of how acupuncture is practiced in China.  It is acupuncture that is practiced in a semi-private setting and offered at a more affordable price.  When I was studying in Cheng Du, China this was how acupuncture was offered.  Several people in one room all receiving individual treatments.   

Read the rest of this entry →

Cushions for the spine.

By: Dr. Jake Simpson, DC

The discs of the spine are made of a strong cartilage and a “jelly-like” substance inside and are located in between 24 bones of your spinal column.  Each disc is attached to the vertebrae above and below it.  Along with providing cushion from impact and gravity, the discs also space the vertebrae far enough apart from one another allowing for spinal roots (nerves) to leave the spinal cord/column and supply our body with all the nervous system information necessary for a healthy life.  Injury or degenerative processes to the discs can be very painful and traumatic to our body’s ability to function properly.  Problems to the disc include: thinning, wedging, bulging, protrusions, tearing or herniation…note: no “slipping”.     

Each disc has the natural ability to withstand the motions of life.  Healthy discs give you the flexibility of the spinal column and produce a pumping action that supplies proper disc nutrition and waste removal via blood flow.  However, trauma can lead to a chain reaction of negative consequence.  Spinal misalignments and joint restrictions can cause the disc tissue over time to adapt into a wedge-like shape.  While this is the earliest stage of disc damage, symptoms may or may not be present even though disc encroachment unto adjacent nerve tissue may be happening. 

Read the rest of this entry →