Winnipeg Chiropractor

Sunday’s Huge Health Update!

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Mental Attitude: Stress Affects Women’s Recovery After a Heart Attack. Researchers analyzed data collected from 2,397 women and 1,175 men and found that women had more difficulty recovering from a heart attack than men, possibly due to the significantly higher levels of mental stress measured among the females in the study. The findings emphasize the need to consider how stress and other psychosocial factors can affect the recovery of patients following heart attack. American Heart Association, February 2015

Health Alert: Mercury Exposure May Be a Risk Factor for Autoimmune Diseases. Exposure to high levels of methylmercury is known to cause damage to the nervous system, and it can be particularly harmful to a developing fetus. Researchers now claim that even at levels considered to be safe, mercury exposure may be a risk factor for autoimmune disorders in women of childbearing age. They found that the higher the levels of mercury detected in women, the higher the levels of autoantibodies, proteins that are a characteristic of autoimmune diseases. Lead researcher Dr. Emily Somers explains, “The presence of autoantibodies doesn’t necessarily mean they will lead to an autoimmune disease. However, we know that autoantibodies are significant predictors of future autoimmune disease, and may predate the symptoms and diagnosis of an autoimmune disease by years.”

Environmental Health Perspectives, February 2015

Diet: Low Vitamin D Levels During Childhood Linked to Heart Risks. A multi-decade study found that low vitamin D levels during childhood are associated with a significantly higher risk for artery hardening in adulthood. The findings highlight the need to ensure children get adequate levels of vitamin D in their diet or through sun exposure.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, February 2015

Exercise: Why Should We Exercise? The Mayo Clinic lists seven benefits of exercise, which include the following: helps controls weight, helps combat chronic health conditions and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy levels, promotes better sleep, reduces stress, and it can even be fun! As a general rule, strive for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.
Mayo Clinic, February 2015

Chiropractic: Resolution of Plantar Fasciitis Following Adjustments. In this case study, a 23-year-old woman with plantar fasciitis presented for chiropractic care. Her previous medical care included prescription orthotics, stretching, and Ibuprofen, all which failed
to resolve her heel pain and related symptoms. Her chiropractic treatment regimen consisted of adjustment to the spine and lower extremities, ultrasound therapy, taping of the foot, and neuromuscular re-education. Over the course of ten treatments, the patient noted improvements in both pain and function, supporting the benefits of multi-modal chiropractic management of plantar fasciitis. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, October 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Naps Improve Your Health. A new report claims that brief daytime naps can protect against the harmful health effects of a poor night’s sleep. The study included eleven healthy men and revealed that naps appear to return the hormones and proteins involved in stress response and immune function to more normal levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lack of sleep can increase the risk of health problems such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression, and decreased sleep is also linked to reduced work productivity, as well as an increased risk of traffic and industrial accidents. Study author Dr. Brice Faraut adds, “Napping may offer a way to counter the damaging effects of sleep restriction by helping the immune and neuroendocrine systems to recover. The findings support the development of practical strategies for addressing chronically sleep- deprived populations, such as night and shift workers.” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, February 2015

Quote: “You should never be surprised when someone treats you with respect, you should expect it.” ~ Sarah Dessen

For More Information on Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Whiplash, and more, Go To: http://www.AberdeenChiropracticBlog.com

Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels.com

Trigger points in the rhomboids

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The rhomboids are muscles between your shoulder blades that are mainly responsible for pulling your shoulder blades back. Poor sitting posture with the shoulders slumped and rounded forward causes these muscles to become strained and overloaded. When this happens trigger points can form, causing achy pain and restlessness between the shoulder blades.

Pain from subclavius trigger points

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The Subclavius muscle is a small muscle on the underside of the clavicle. It originates on the first rib and it’s cartilage, and inserts on the inferior clavicle. It’s main function is to assist in protraction of the shoulder. This muscle is often shortened and tight from poor rounded shoulder posture. When trigger points form in this muscle they can refer pain into the anterior shoulder and down the radial part of the arm. Pain can also be referred into the thumb and first two fingers.

Trigger point pain from the sternalis muscle

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The sternalis muscle is a little known muscle located at the sternum. This muscle seems to be vestigial in that it doesn’t have a known function. In originates on the superior portion of the sternum and the upper part of the pectoralis muscle. It’s insertion is the cartilage of ribs 3-7, or sometimes the sheath of the rectus abdominis, or the lower part of pectoralis major. Even though this muscle doesn’t seem to have a purpose anymore it can still harbour trigger points. These points will cause pain to be felt intensely deep in the sternum, with spillover pain radiating down the inside of the arm.

Supraspinatus trigger points

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The supraspinatus muscle is one of the muscles that makes up your rotator cuff. It attaches from the scapula to the humerus. It functions mainly to laterally rotate the arm as well as stabilize the shoulder joint. It also assists in abduction of the arm. This muscle can often harbour stubborn trigger points. These points refer pain into the shoulder, down the arm, into the elbow, and even into the forearm if irritated enough. These points can be effectively treated with trigger point massage therapy.

Trigger points in the pectoralis major muscle.

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

A very common muscle to become overloaded and damaged, and thus develop trigger points, is the pectoralis major muscle. This is the muscle that makes up the chest. It’s main functions are adduction and internal rotation at the shoulder. Poor rounded shoulder posture is a common cause of pec tightness and trigger points. trigger points in this muscle will produce pain felt into the front of the shoulder, the chest, and down the medial arm. If these symptoms occur in the left pec it can mimick heart pain. In women, these points can be a cause of breast pain and nipple hypersensitivity.

Shoulder and arm pain from the subscapularis muscle.

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The subscapularis muscle is one of the rotator cuff muscles. It is located on the inside of the scapula, and can be difficult to access. This muscle functions to internally rotate the arm as well as to adduct the shoulder. It is also a stabilizer of the shoulder joint. When this muscle is overloaded or injured trigger points can form. These points will refer pain into the back of the shoulder and down the inside of the arm to the wrist. Trigger points in the subscapularis are often associated with a frozen shoulder.