AMI Chiropractic Clinic Blog

Lets Get Familiar Again  Lets Keep Safe Together!

We have missed you, hope the feeling has been mutual 😊 We have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment and as of June 1st, in line with government guidance, advice from our regulator and professional associations, will reopen our practice. Unfortunately, our services will be limited and to those with a medical/clinical need. Overtime and as the situation with Covid-19 evolves we will continue to review all processes and hope to return back to normal. We want you to know that we have taken the appropriate measures to ensure your safety as well as ours. We thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing and treating you all very soon. TEAM AMI info@amiclinics.co.uk 01234 307565

Is Your Phone Causing Tech Neck? Bottom Line: Staying connected to friends and family, catching up with emails, reading the latest news, watching our favourite TV episodes and playing games can come at a price! As a society we are spending to much time looking down at our mobile phones. Screen time may be anything from 1, 2, 3 hours or more depending on your use. Let's face it, a lot of these hours are spent in an awkward forward head posture that experts have begun to call 'tech neck'. A 'tech neck' can result in neck and upper back pain, stress and tension, headaches, spinal disc issues, and even trapped nerves. Here at the AMI Clinic in Bedford we work with people who are experiencing these symptoms associated with a 'tech neck'. We offer advise our patients on how poor posture using a mobile phone can lead to dysfunction and symptoms abd advise on how simple stretches, using the correct posture  and postural exercises can ...

Hot Spinal Discs:  Can an Inflamed Disc Heal? Bottom Line: It’s called a “hot” disc for a reason. Disc herniations cause a tremendous amount of inflammation that can irritate nearby nerves and cause pain. But, did you know that inflammation is actually…a good thing? In fact, inflammation suggests a high likelihood of relief with conservative care. Confused? Well, the inflammatory process is the first step of the healing process! A disc that is “hot” or inflamed is a sign that the healing process has already begun. Why it Matters: New research indicates that an inflamed disc can “activate” healing throughout your immune system. Tiny blood vessels begin to form around the herniation, causing your immune system to release certain chemicals that help the disc to heal and reabsorb. What’s even more exciting is that when conservative care, such as Chiropractic, is added, researchers found that not only can the disc herniation heal, but it can completely resolve! ...

Finding Lasting Relief From Disc Herniations Bottom Line: So, you’ve suffered a disc herniation, and it’s causing severe pain. Do you need an injection or surgery? What type of doctor should you see? Can a Chiropractor make it…worse? These are all common thoughts that may race through your mind after you’ve experienced a spinal injury. First, take a deep breath and relax. Leading research journals have shown that you made a smart decision by choosing Chiropractic care. Many leading health organizations are now recommending Chiropractic as a top choice to find relief from disc herniations. To learn why keep reading… Why Does It Matter? Studies have shown that over 90% of people with a lumbar disc herniation that were treated with spinal adjustments improved within 3 months, and 88% improved within 1 year.  Perhaps even more impressive was another study, which indicated that, for disc herniations in the neck, 86% of people found relief with Chiropractic adjust...

A Spinal Disc Bulge or Herniation: What’s The Difference? Bottom Line: The bones, discs, ligaments, and muscles of your spine are designed to help you maintain proper spinal alignment, posture, and movement. Between each set of bones or vertebrae is a small rubbery disc. These discs act as small shock absorbers for your spinal bones and nerves. They have a tough, rubber-like outer layer called the annulus fibrosis and a soft jelly-like center that is called the nucleus pulposus. As you age or encounter injuries, the curve of your spine may fall out of alignment. This can place uneven stress on your spinal column and discs, increasing the chance of having a disc break down and herniate. Why Does It Matter? A disc herniation occurs when the outer portion of the disc ruptures (or tears) and the soft inner portion squeezes out. This type of injury can cause pain at the site of herniation, or sometimes the herniated disc can pinch a nearby nerve, causing pai...

Dynamic Stretching: A New Way to Feel Better Bottom Line: You’ve probably been told many times that you should stretch before and after a workout. Most people never do because static stretching is boring and takes so much extra time at the gym. However, there is a way to combine stretching with your workout. It’s called dynamic stretching, and not only is it more fun, but researchers have discovered it’s more effective at reducing injuries and increasing range of motion than static stretching alone. Why it Matters: Dynamic stretching doesn’t involve holding a specific position unlike static stretching. It’s about moving your body through ranges of motion that help you prepare for your workout. Dynamic stretching works by increasing your body temperature, blood flow, and circulation. This provides your muscles with more available oxygen and can help enhance your performance. A good warm-up that includes dynamic stretching has been shown to improve both power and a...

Tape: All Hype Or Scientifically Sound? Bottom Line: It’s difficult to find a single sporting event where you won’t see an athlete wearing colorful tape somewhere on their body. You may have wondered what it is, and more importantly what it’s used for. The tape is called kinesio tape and was initially developed by a Chiropractor about 40 years ago. It works by stimulating proprioception, which is the medical term for knowing where your body is in space. Why it Matters: Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it’s loaded with small sensory nerve fibers that are responsible for proprioception. Placing tape in specific areas of your body across the skin provides sensory input that gives your brain more information as you move. This additional information has been shown to help improve balance, reduce pain, and support proper movement patterns. -       Tape worn on the skin provides your brain with more info...

Moving Kids Towards Better Health Bottom Line: Life is motion. Moving every day is crucially important to your overall health and wellness. Everything from cardiovascular disease to depression has been tied to a lack of physical activity. And this isn’t something that only adults need to be aware of. Getting enough physical activity as a child is an important step in reducing the risk of chronic disease in adulthood. Why it Matters: If your child is tied to the latest video game or app, you know it can be challenging to encourage exercise and physical activity. However, carving out enough time to move is not only essential for your physical health, but also your brain. Being sedentary during childhood slows down your brain's ability to learn “movement skills.” You can think of these skills in terms of agility and hand/eye coordination. - Over 65% of kids aren’t getting enough daily physical activity. - Lack of activity...

Headaches Arising From The Neck Headaches that arise from the neck can come from many sources i.e. muscle strain, joint sprain, stress, tension, poor posture etc. Our chiropractors here at the AMI Clinic , in Bedford, are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage these types of headaches. A headache arising from the neck is typically called a cervicogenic headache, meaning it is pain ascending from the muscles and joints of the cervical spine. Common symptoms of headaches that arise from the neck: ·          A dull diffuse ache across the shoulders, shoulder blades, and or into the neck area ·          A stiff neck ·          A dull ache/pain or throb across the base of the head   ·          Limited head and neck movement ·          Etc. Due to the fact ...

The AMI Clinic's Exclusive Giveaway! Does your mum ever complain of back or neck pain? Why not enter our exclusive competition to win the perfect gift! With Mother's Day approaching the AMI Clinic is giving you the chance to gift  your  mum something very special! The AMI Clinic is gifting one luck y winner the chance to give their mum  £230  worth of Chiropractic Care for  FREE The winner will receive: A Chiropractic Assessment, Examination, Report of Findings and 6x Chiropractic Treatments FREE How's that for a Mother's Day treat and a great way to get into the good books!  😊 The competition is open to both new a nd existing patients Enter here: https://ami-clinic.uk-chiropractic.co.uk/mothers-ami For your chance to win please complete the following: → Click on the link above and enter your details to register → Like our Facebook Page → Share this post ...

How Cold weather affects your aches and pains? Its officially winter time with the weather dropping below 0 degrees and getting our first frost of the season, some people may start notice more aches and pains in their joints than they are used to. But why does the cold give us those aches and pains? Is it in in our heads? Or is there something actually going on? Some people report they can even tell when it’s going to rain? Do these people have special powers or can it be explained? The Effect Some studies have found a strong relationship between short, cold, damp days and arthritis flare-ups. Some research suggests changes in barometric pressure worsen knee pain in people with arthritis, while colder temperatures can cause painful changes in joint fluid thickness. Cold weather can actually shrink the tissues causing them to pull on the nerve endings, thus causing joint pain. When it is cold, your nerve endings are extremely sensitive and the muscles surr...