AMI Chiropractic Clinic Blog

What Happens to My Body During a Car Accident? Bottom Line: Your body wasn't designed to deal with the forces that occur in a car accident. Even though modern cars have an array of safety features, the damage from an accident can range from small aches to life-changing injuries. The force that both your vehicle and body absorb while driving along the road is known as kinetic energy. Your vehicle has been carefully built to displace the (kinetic) energy that occurs during an accident. However, no matter what type of car you have, your body will still absorb some of the impact. Why it Matters: The powerful forces during impact can cause injuries to your body. A few of the most common injuries that occur after a crash include: Whiplash: when your car is rear-ended, your neck gets thrown back from the impact and then rebounds by flexing forward. Whiplash commonly injures the tendons and ligaments in your neck and can cause severe pain, and it’s estimat

Fixing Low Back Pain Bottom Line: Restrictions and limited mobility of your lower back may be causing your pain. If your low back doesn't have a full range of motion, then you are setting it up for future injuries. Bending forward and back (flexion/extension), side bending (lateral bend), and turning side to side (rotation) are the three movements that make up a full range of motion. You have to use it, or you'll lose it. Neglecting your lower back and not actively improving and maintaining a full range of motion can cause restrictions, reconditioning and increase your chance of injury. Why it Matters: The care given in our practice is specifically designed to address both aspects of improving your range of motion, segmental, and global. That means our chiropractic adjustments work the specific joints of your spine that are "stuck" or restricted. This begins the process of improving your range of motion and often provides quick relief from

The Top Causes of  Low Back Pain Bottom Line: It's been estimated that over 90% of us will deal with low back pain at some point in our life. So, you may be wondering why. What causes most of us to deal with lower back pain? How we move our body, previous injuries, and the habits we do (or don't do) each day can play a huge role in either increasing or decreasing your risk of an aching back. Why it Matters: Low back pain occurs when joints of your spine become overloaded beyond normal limits. This can happen in an instant (lifting heavy weight incorrectly) or can happen over a long period (poor posture, too much sitting). Most of us try to remember to use proper posture when lifting heavy items. But, did you know the risks associated with sitting? Researchers have recently discovered that long periods of sitting may be as harmful as smoking. Extended periods of sitting increase your risk of back pain by de-conditioning the muscles supporting your spine

EXERCISE IS THE BEST MEDICINE Bottom Line: Nearly every major risk factor for chronic disease can be lower with as little as 15 minutes of moderate exercise per day. As you age, the cells in your body can become damaged, your metabolism slows down, and you lose muscle strength. Daily exercise has been shown to actually slow down the typical aging process. The catch is that if you aren’t exercising consistently, you may be unknowingly accelerating the aging process and increasing your risk of chronic disease. Why it Matters: Even 15 minutes of exercise per day can lower your cardiovascular risk. Activities like walking, swimming, and yoga are great choices to start with. Being aware of your cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure numbers are important. Keep in mind that many of those numbers can be improved without medication. Simply adding daily exercise into your life can make a tremendous impact on your overall health and well-being. Regular exerci

Spinal Traction: Reducing Pain Through Movement Bottom Line: At a glance, spinal traction may look like an unusual trype of treatment. Though at first it may seem strange, the relief it can help provide is remarkable. Spinal traction offers relief from neck and back pain by reducing the pressure on spinal discs and nerves. Many people use spinal traction as a way to enhance the results they receive with their care ihere at the AMI Clinic. Why it Matters: Spinal traction is a form of decompression that is used to treat conditions such as herniated discs, sciatica, pinched nerves, and degenerative disc disease. Traction devices typically use a small force (manual or mechanical) to draw two spinal bones, or vertebrae, away from each other. The increased space between the bones can reduce the pressure in the disc and on the spinal nerves. ·          Spinal traction has been shown to be effective at reducing the pain associated with pinched nerves and herniat

Stretch Your Way to Better Health Bottom Line: Stretching each day is an integral part of improving your overall health. Even if you’re not an athlete, stretching provides important benefits for both your mind and body. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to stretch. Knowing the differences, and understanding the proper technique will help you stay more energized throughout the day and can also improve the flexibility of your joints. Why it Matters: The days of “static” stretching are long gone. Static stretching, or bouncing as you stretch, can cause injuries and pain. Health experts now recommend dynamic stretching, which can release muscle tension, increase energy levels, and improve the delivery of nutrients to your muscles. Dynamic stretching should be performed at least 2-3 days a week for a minimum of 10 minutes per session. Benefits of Stretching include: Improved Flexibility - stretching can enhance your flexibility by keeping

DEVELOPING A HEALTHY CHILD Bottom Line: “It takes a village to raise a child.” You’ve probably heard that quote in the past, and there is a lot of truth behind it. During childhood and adolescence, our bodies and minds grow at an unprecedented rate and set the foundation for the rest of our life. Our development is forged through the challenges and new experiences we encounter growing up. Top researchers have discovered that our experiences around food, movement and exercise play a massive role in our future health and even our susceptibility to disease processes as we age! Why it Matters: Developing a healthy child isn’t easy. The ease of modern living includes everything from food delivery to instant downloads of the latest video games. Yet, if you’re like me, there still never seems to be enough time!   It can be challenging to encourage healthy habits for ourselves and our kids. However, a little bit of effort today can pay huge dividends down the road. T

GROWING UP WITH GOOD POSTURE Bottom Line: “Sit up straight!” We’ve all heard it before, but many people aren’t aware that poor posture as a child can create health challenges later in life. Rounded shoulders, swayback and a hunched upper back are all postural imbalances that place a tremendous amount of stress on the spine. The muscles supporting your spine consequently must work harder to support your body weight which can result in pain. These types of abnormal postures have been linked to everything from depression to decreases in energy and headaches to carpal tunnel syndrome. Why it Matters: Poor posture is usually caused by what kids aren’t doing instead of what they are doing. If your child is on their phone or playing a game on their tablet, they probably may not be moving and stretching very often. One of the most important things you can do to encourage good posture is to set a timer and have them stretch and change positions every 15 minutes. This

How Heavy Is That Backpack? Bottom Line: Even though an iPad can store an entire library worth of books, most children still attend each day carrying an oversized and overweight backpack filled with heavy textbooks. While it may not seem like a big deal, recent studies have shown that carrying the weight of a typical backpack is one of the top reasons why children suffer with back pain. A vast majority of children wear rucksacks every day that, on average, weigh 15 lbs or more. That’s a heavy bag for a small child! Over time the stress of the load can result in back pain, a rounding of the shoulders and postural changes. The spinal compression caused by a heavy school bag often has children leaning forward to compensate, which begins a vicious cycle of postural issues, compensation and pain. Here are a few key facts: Up to 30% of kids may suffer from back pain due to carrying a heavy backpack. Limiting the total weight of the backpack to less than 10% of yo

TECH NECK Bottom Line: Smartphones and tablets have quickly become a part of our everyday life. Many kids spend hours per day messaging with friends and playing the latest games. Often, it’s done with their neck bent forward, shoulders rounded, and arms holding the phone up in front of their eyes. New research has shown this type of awkward position can lead to a painful condition called “Tech Neck.” Why it Matters: Recently, Scientific Reports published a shocking paper which found a “horn” growing off the back of the head of kids who spent a great deal of time on their cell phones and tablets. This extreme variation of Tech Neck is suspected to be caused by constant pressure placed on the back of the head (the occiput) when the head is bent forward and chin is tucked. The excessive force can result in calcification of the soft tissue, which can start to look like a “horn” growing out of the back of the head! Did you know… Kids may be spending up to 140

Headaches Everyday? Read This! Bottom Line: Life can be busy and stressful. Sound familiar? If so, you may likely start experiencing headaches more frequently, and they may be more severe. Chronic headaches are a good indication that your body needs attention, whether that’s related to a lack of quality sleep, nutritional challenges or even postural issues, all of which can contribute to a developing a vicious cycle of daily headaches. Those daily headaches are a signal from your body that something needs to change. While researchers have struggled to place an exact cause on every type of headache, they have discovered an array of risk factors that can lead to the development of chronic headaches. The foods you eat, the stress in your life, and even how you move your body and spine, can either increase or decrease the likelihood of experiencing headaches. These daily headaches aren't something you "have to live with." Top research publications in

How To Find Natural  Relief From Headaches What Can You Do? Natural (or organic) healthcare solutions are now being recommended by many leading healthcare organizations because of the associated reduction in dangerous side-effects and high rates of patient satisfaction following treatment.  Three of the most effective natural solutions for reducing the frequency and severity of headaches include Magnesium, Chiropractic care, and B-vitamins. Taking a Magnesium supplement has the potential to reduce the occurrence of migraine headaches without any of the side-effects typically associated with painkillers, and if stress is a significant factor in your headaches, B-vitamins may be a natural fit for relief. Additionally, Chiropractic care helps to correct the postural changes and muscle tension which are a couple of the leading causes of migraine headaches Here at the AMI Clinic in Bedford we use a combination of spinal manipulation, myofascial therapies, exer

THE TOP 3 CAUSES OF HEADACHES Bottom Line: A variety of factors can cause headaches. The good news is that many of these are lifestyle factors and habits and patterns that you can control. By understanding a few of the most common causes of headaches, you will have the information you need to make those key changes and to get on your way to finding lasting relief! Ironically, one of the most common causes of headaches is over medicating. In fact, overuse of many over the counter medications is a leading factor in a rebound headache, which is why pills may not be the best option for care. Many tension headaches get their start with repetitive motion and poor posture while sitting or standing at work or performing repetitive motions. Keeping your shoulders back and your spine in proper alignment throughout the day can help prevent future episodes. And finally, most of the good stuff like coffee, cheese, alcohol and meats have substances that can cause headaches. You do

HEADACHE TYPES: THE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW Bottom Line: Almost everyone will experience a headache at some point in their life, and over 50% of people will deal with the effects of headaches in a given year. Fortunately, headaches are rarely life-threatening. However, for people dealing with chronic headaches they can dramatically impact your quality of life. Why it Matters: The International Headache Society has classified over 150 different types of headaches. The most common being migraines and tension headaches. Migraines are triggered by chemical imbalances within the body and can cause a pulsating or throbbing pain often felt at the front or side of the head. You can identify a migraine through the symptoms experienced before and during, these symptoms can include: nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, sound and smell. Migraines can very between a few hours to few days! Tension type headache are often caused by stress, anxiety, dehydration,