Introducing Our Brand New Fitness Facility at River East Chiropractic

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our brand new fitness facility at River East Chiropractic! This state-of-the-art gym is designed to complement our chiropractic services by offering a holistic approach to health and wellness. Whether you’re looking to improve your strength, flexibility, or overall fitness, our new facility has everything you need to support your goals.

Our gym features modern equipment, including cardio machines, strength training tools, and free weights, perfect for a full-body workout. In addition to the equipment, we offer personalized fitness plans tailored to your individual needs, ensuring that you can exercise safely and effectively. Our on-site team is here to provide guidance, whether you’re recovering from an injury or looking to improve your general fitness levels.

At River East Chiropractic, we believe that regular exercise is key to maintaining spinal health and overall well-being. Combining chiropractic care with a structured fitness routine can help you achieve long-lasting relief from pain, improve mobility, and enhance your quality of life.

Stop by and check out our new fitness facility today! Learn more at rivereastchiropractic.ca.

Now Open Until 8pm Mondays and Thursdays.

Understanding Tension Headaches: Causes and Relief

Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headaches, affecting millions of people worldwide. They often present as a dull, aching pain or tightness around the forehead, temples, or back of the head and neck. Unlike migraines, tension headaches typically don’t cause nausea or sensitivity to light, but the pain can still be debilitating.

The primary cause of tension headaches is muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, often triggered by stress, poor posture, or long hours spent sitting at a desk. Eye strain, lack of sleep, and dehydration can also contribute to their development.

While over-the-counter pain relievers may provide temporary relief, they don’t address the root cause. Chiropractic care offers a natural and effective way to manage tension headaches by targeting muscle tension and misalignments in the spine. Through spinal adjustments, massage therapy, and posture correction, chiropractic treatment can reduce the frequency and intensity of tension headaches.

If you’re struggling with chronic tension headaches, chiropractic care may provide the long-term relief you need. Learn more about how chiropractic treatments can help at rivereastchiropractic.ca.

Now Open Until 8pm Mondays and Thursdays.

Understanding Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatment

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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and tenderness in the muscles and joints. It affects millions of people, though it is often misunderstood and can be difficult to diagnose. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it’s believed to be linked to how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals, making the body more sensitive to pain stimuli.

In addition to pain, people with fibromyalgia often experience other symptoms such as sleep disturbances, headaches, difficulty concentrating (often referred to as “fibro fog”), and depression. This condition can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, making daily tasks difficult to manage.

While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, many treatments can help manage the symptoms. Chiropractic care is one option that can provide relief by addressing imbalances in the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapies, and lifestyle advice can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and enhance overall well-being. Combined with other treatments, chiropractic care offers a holistic approach to managing fibromyalgia symptoms.

If you or a loved one is struggling with fibromyalgia, learn more about treatment options at rivereastchiropractic.ca.

Now Open Until 8pm Mondays and Thursdays.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help with Ankle Pain

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Ankle pain can result from various causes, such as sprains, strains, arthritis, or even poor posture. When left untreated, it can limit your mobility and interfere with daily activities. Chiropractic care offers a natural and effective solution for addressing ankle pain by treating the underlying causes rather than just masking the symptoms.

Chiropractors specialize in adjusting and realigning the joints, including the ankle. When your ankle is misaligned, it can place undue stress on surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments, leading to pain and inflammation. By restoring proper alignment, chiropractic care can alleviate pain, improve joint mobility, and promote faster healing.

In addition to adjustments, chiropractors may incorporate other techniques such as soft tissue therapy, stretching exercises, and personalized rehabilitation programs. These complementary treatments help strengthen the ankle and surrounding areas, reducing the risk of future injuries.

If you’re experiencing ankle pain, whether from an injury or chronic condition, chiropractic care can provide relief and get you back on your feet. Learn more about how chiropractic treatments can help at rivereastchiropractic.ca.

Now Open Until 8pm Mondays and Thursdays.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help with Back Pain

Back pain is a widespread issue affecting people of all ages and lifestyles. Whether it’s due to poor posture, an injury, or long hours at a desk, back pain can seriously impact your quality of life. Chiropractic care offers a drug-free, non-invasive way to address the root cause of back pain and provide lasting relief.

Chiropractors specialize in spinal adjustments, which help to realign the spine and improve the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Misalignments, also known as subluxations, can put pressure on the nerves, leading to pain, inflammation, and reduced mobility. By correcting these misalignments, chiropractic care can relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and improve overall spinal health.

In addition to spinal adjustments, chiropractors may use other therapies such as soft tissue massage, stretching, and exercises to support the healing process. Many patients report reduced pain and increased flexibility after just a few sessions.

If you’re dealing with chronic or acute back pain, chiropractic care could be the solution you need. Learn more about how chiropractic care can help you at rivereastchiropractic.ca.

Now Open Until 8pm Mondays and Thursdays.

How Laser Therapy Can Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common condition caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, leading to pain, tingling, and numbness in the hand and arm. While traditional treatments like wrist splints or surgery can help, laser therapy has emerged as a non-invasive and effective solution for many sufferers.

Laser therapy works by using concentrated light energy to stimulate the body’s healing process. When applied to the wrist, it helps reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and accelerate tissue repair, relieving the pressure on the median nerve. Patients often experience pain relief and restored function after just a few sessions, without the need for medication or surgery.

This treatment is especially beneficial for those seeking a quicker recovery time with minimal side effects. It is safe, painless, and typically takes just a few minutes per session.

If you’re struggling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, laser therapy could be the solution you’ve been searching for. Learn more about how this treatment can help at rivereastchiropractic.ca.

Now Open Until 8pm Mondays and Thursdays.

CTS Exercises?

CTS Stretch

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the leading cause of numbness to the middle three fingers and thumb and affects millions of Americans each year. There are MANY potential causes of CTS, and these causes can be unclear or multi-factorial. We have discussed the importance of night splints and what chiropractic can do for CTS in the recent past. This month, let’s look at what YOU can do for CTS.
“Self-help” concepts are VERY important as they empower YOU to gain control of your condition’s signs and symptoms, thus placing less reliance on those of us who manage (in this case) CTS. There is a time for “PRICE” or, Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate, such as when most activities make symptoms worse. This is the time for splinting, reducing activities of daily living (which sometimes includes work restrictions), and the use of ice cupping or massage. Patients should initiate movement or exercise-based approaches as soon as such activities can be tolerated. Here are four different exercises you can do:
1. Fist / “Bear Claw” / Open Wide Hand: This is a three-step exercise, and you can start or stop on any of the three “steps.” A. FIST:  Make a fist and squeeze as tightly as tolerated; B. BEAR CLAW: Starting from the fist position (A), open only the palm of the hand (keep your thumb and fingers bent but straighten the big knuckle joints at the base of the fingers); C. OPEN WIDE: Straighten and spread ALL your finger joints by opening up your hand as much as possible and feel for a good stretch in the palm. HOLD each position for one to five seconds (vary the “speed” of moving between the three positions – fast, medium, and slow; emphasize what feels best if you have a preference). Repeat five to ten times or until your hands feel looser.
2. “Church Steeple”: Place your hands together in front of you (“prayer position”) touching the pads of the thumbs and all four fingertips together and spread your fingers as wide as possible. Next, separate your palms as far as you can while applying pressure against your finger/thumb tips and repeat. Alter the speed and number of repetitions until your hands feel stretched out.
3. “Shake and Flick”: Simply shake your hands as if you just washed them and you’re shaking the water off to “air dry” them. Again, alter the speed and reps until they feel loosened up.
4. Forearm Stretches: Place one arm out in front, elbow straight, and fingers pointed straight, palm up (first set). Reach with the opposite hand and pull the fingers, hand, and wrist down and back towards you until you feel a strong “pull” in your forearm muscles. Hold until the forearm muscles feels stretched (5-10 seconds). Repeat this with the palm facing down for the second set to stretch the opposite (extensor) forearm muscles.
Do these on each side two to three times each (even the “good” side) EVERY HOUR (or as often as possible). Think about what you do on a daily basis and if you work in a repetitive manner (on the job or a hobby at home), try to do these exercises DURING THE REPETITIVE ACTIVITY to help keep your symptoms from getting out of control. If you can alter the position or speed of a work or avocational activity, do so for long-term prevention purposes!
If you cannot gain control of your CTS condition, you may need additional treatment options of which chiropractic offers a safe, non-surgical approach.
We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we would be honored to render our services.

Positive Expectations in Whiplash Patients Help with Recovery

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“High expectations are the key to everything”

– Sam Walton

Now a new study found that this belief may apply to your health as well: Whiplash patients who have a positive expectation to improve tend to recover better and report less pain than those who harbor negative beliefs like fearing movement and re-injury.

If you or someone you know has been involved in accident, call our office today. Check out THIS VIDEO to learn more about resolving neck pain from auto accidents.

Plantar Fasciitis In A Nutshell

The “Plantar fascia” is a fibrous band running from the under surface of your heel to the ball of your foot. “Plantar fasciitis” is a painful inflammation of this tissue caused by chronic over stretching and mild tearing.

Plantar fasciitis is commonly associated with fallen arches of the foot. To understand how this happens, cup your hand to make a “C” shape. This represents a foot with a high arch.

Imagine a band running from your fingertips to your wrist. This represents the plantar fascia. Now, straighten your fingers to simulate what happens when the arch “falls.” When this happens in your foot, the plantar fascia is stretched and can begin to tear away from your heel.

Plantar fasciitis affects 10% of the population and is more common in women. Approximately one fourth of patients have the problem in both feet at the same time. People who place excessive stress on their feet by being overweight, standing for long periods, or participating in endurance sports are more likely to develop the condition as well. Shoes without adequate arch supports, including sandals or going barefoot, increase your chances of developing plantar fasciitis. Wearing high-heeled shoes or boots may contribute to the problem.

The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel or arch when standing up after a period of inactivity, particularly first thing in the morning. When you are sleeping, the arch is in a relaxed or shortened state, and the plantar fascia is able to heal. When you stand up first thing in the morning, you stretch the fascia, once again tearing it away from its attachment on the heel. The condition may progress to the point that you experience pain throughout the day, even while resting. The pain often eases after you walk for a period of time, only to redevelop. You may notice some tenderness when you touch your heel, and you probably have tight calf and hamstring muscles as well.

Plantar fasciitis can be a frustrating condition, often lasting 18 months or more if left untreated. Fortunately, you may recover more quickly with proper treatment. One of the most important things that you can do is to make sure that you are wearing shoes with good arch supports on a consistent basis. A period of rest may be necessary to help you recover. Runners may need to temporarily decrease mileage or switch to less stressful activities like swimming, cycling, or using an elliptical machine. A splint or “Strassburg sock” worn at night will help to keep your plantar fascia in a stretched position while it is healing.

Plantar Fasciitis and Laser Therapy

What is it?

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.

Symptoms

The most common complaint is pain in the bottom of the heel. The heel pain may be dull or sharp. The bottom of the foot may also ache or burn. This can be painful and make walking more difficult.
The pain is usually worse:

  • In the morning when you take your first steps
  • After standing or sitting for a while
  • When climbing stairs
  • After intense activity

The pain may develop slowly over time, or suddenly after intense activity.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis develops because of repeated small tears to the flat band of ligamentous tissue that connects your heel to the bones of your toes. These tears weaken the arch that supports the foot. As the arch of the foot weakens, increasing strain is placed on the deeper ligaments and tendons of the foot and lower leg. Over time, Plantar Fasciitis can result in Chronic Pain, Heel Spurs and Degenerative Joint Disease (Arthritis).
You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you have:
• Foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches)
• Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
• Sudden weight gain or obesity
• Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
• Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles
Plantar fasciitis is seen in both men and women. However, it most often affects active men ages 40 – 70. It is one of the most common orthopedic complaints relating to the foot.
Plantar fasciitis is commonly thought of as being caused by a heel spur, but research has found that this is not the case. On x-ray, heel spurs are seen in people with and without plantar fasciitis.

Signs and tests

The health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may show:
• Tenderness on the bottom of your foot
• Flat feet or high arches
• Mild foot swelling or redness
• Stiffness or tightness of the arch in the bottom of your foot.

Physicians typically treat Plantar Fasciitis with anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections. These medications temporarily reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis but do not treat the cause of the problem. Traditional methods can usually take between 9 months to two years to resolve this condition.

Class IV Laser Plantar Fasciitis Program 

Our program utilizes the latest class IV Lasers, and combines them with other therapies to help reduce the pain, strengthen the muscles around the foot and ankle joints, and increase range of motion. The Class IV Laser is at the heart of our treatment program. It provides a safe, effective, non-invasive, painless solution for plantar fasciitis. Patients generally respond exceptionally well to treatments and usually notice significant pain relief after just a few treatments.

Permanent correction of Plantar Fasciitis requires two procedures.

1. Heal the Damaged Fascia

Ending the pain caused by Plantar Fasciitis requires stopping the cycle of inflammation. This is critical because chronically inflamed tissues block the flow of needed nutrients and oxygen to surrounding muscles and joints. The advanced CLASS IV LASER restores the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the inflamed tissue allowing the cells to repair themselves at an accelerated rate.

2. Correct the Foot and Gait Mechanics

Most cases of plantar fasciitis are resolved very easily with Class IV Laser Therapy alone; however, if the condition has become chronic this can lead to alterations in the gait that will have to be addressed. This could involve stabilizing the arch with orthotics  or implementing a simple series of specific strengthening and stretching exercises.
Plantar fasciitis when treated early has an exceptionally good prognosis with our protocol. We encourage those with Plantar Fasciitis to seek our help right away. The longer one suffers with this painful condition the more likely it will cause other conditions in the knee, hip and spine.