Preventing Weight Lifting Injuries

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Weightlifting is a common type of sport or physical activity many individuals prefer for strengthening their upper body muscles but weightlifting also commonly results in injury. By following a few safety tips, you can prevent hurting yourself while weightlifting to continue training your body effectively.

The most popular weight lifting routines today mainly focus on completing a workout within a limited amount of time. Using a fixed group of exercises, the point of this type of workout is to complete the routines as quickly as each person is individually able to. Focusing on speed during an exercise or physical activity can be a major factor for potential injury. Training is about working out accordingly at the most appropriate tempo for each weight and lift.�Slowing down the tempo while weight lifting will help increase the amount of energy an individual has to finish a lift. Additionally, taking a sufficient amount of time for rest in between sets can help prepare an individual both mentally and physically for the next exercise.

Then, when considering safety measures for injury prevention, an individual should note that their exercise routines for weight lifting should include lifts that strengthen and both the front and back sides of the body.�Balancing exercises for the entire body will help strengthen the various muscles of the body as well as avoid overusing and underusing other muscle groups and risk an injury.

Most importantly, in order to avoid injury, an individual should never sacrifice form while lifting. Performing each lift with correct form is the best way to avoid an injury. Lifting weights that are heavier than an individual�s normal lifting weight, lifting the weights rapidly, or simply being unfamiliar with the proper way to lift, are all ways that compromise form and could cause an injury.

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TMJ Disorders Caused by Auto Injuries

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Over the last 10 years, new research has found that TMJ and its well-known symptoms resulting after an auto accident could actually originate from neck complications. After a neck injury, the pain signals travel from the spine to the brainstem. In this process, the nerves from numerous areas of the body also travel into the brainstem where they will gather together before being transmitted to the pain centers of the brain. As the nerve signals converge, the various signals can become crossed and confused.

The nerves found on the jaw connect through the neck with pain receptors from the spine. As chronic pain signals from an automobile injury trigger an over-stimulation, an individual suffering from a neck injury such as whiplash can also experience pain in other areas of the head, including the jaw. The jaw then reacts to the constant symptoms of pain by tensing up the muscles surrounding the jaw, causing even more pain and discomfort.

Chiropractic care is an effective treatment option for individuals who�ve experienced damage or injury as a result of an auto accident.�With the use of spinal adjustments, manual manipulation, and occasional stretches and exercises, a chiropractor can help a person with temporomandibular joint disorders and other neck complications recover from their injuries. By getting to the root cause of your pain, a chiropractor can get you back on the road to health. �

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The Importance of Exercise for Overall Health

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Incorporating exercise into our days helps augment and manage our health, fitness, and wellness, primarily because of its ability to balance the levels of insulin within the body. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which triggers the body to use sugar, or glucose, from carbohydrates in the food we eat to produce energy as well as store glucose for future use.�Another major benefit of participating in regular physical activity is its capacity to boost the immune system. Exercising can alter the function in antibodies and white blood cells where these begin to circulate quicker to detect illnesses rapidly.�

Physical exercise can also help reduce stress because it boosts the production of endorphins in the brain, neurotransmitters in charge of making you feel good. Other great benefits of exercise include weight control and improved eating habits, increasing good cholesterol, HDL, in the body and decreasing triglyceride levels, which can increase the risk of heart disease. Regular physical activity can help prolong life as it reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke and improves and promotes a good sense of well-being. Exercises specifically focused toward strengthening musculoskeletal weaknesses and imbalances can enhance and speed up the recovery process for individuals who�ve suffered an injury and have started medical treatment.

Viewing exercise as a necessary part of your day can help many people build a habit to exercise. Making an exercise schedule can ideally be a good way to keep it in track. The good thing about exercise is that there are a wide variety of types, some which can be done in a minimum amount of time while still providing maximum results.

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Chiropractic Care for Children

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Chiropractic care focuses on treating spinal injuries or conditions, as well as other musculoskeletal traumas or disorders, through the use of spinal adjustments, manual manipulation, and occasionally, a set of recommended exercises and stretches.�Chiropractic treatment can benefit people with a variety of complications as well as children. Spine Health is essential for all ages.�Infants, for example, can often experience trauma on the head and neck during birth through the normal procedures of labor.

Chiropractic adjustments in a growing child can help align their spine in the case of early subluxations, or spinal misalignments. Properly aligning a child�s developing spine can help prevent the development of various ailments as well as maintain a normal formation of the bones in the spine.�Regular adjustments can also be especially useful for both younger and older children because of the increased number of falls and/or accidents that may occur through their normal physical activities on the playground or in the sports arena.�

Chiropractic care can be especially useful for correcting abnormal spinal development disorders such as scoliosis in children.�Through early diagnosis and treatment of a child with scoliosis, a chiropractor can use regular spinal adjustments along with an appropriate follow up of exercises to properly align the spine of a child and allow the spine to develop appropriately, improving their overall spinal health in the future.�

Chiropractors are also specifically trained to implement adjustments especially designed for babies and young adults. Chiropractic care provides a safe and natural way that is effective towards children to prevent and treat many different injuries and conditions.

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Head Rests & Whiplash Prevention

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

The fundamental element for protecting yourself from whiplash injuries involves your head restraint. A wide variety of studies have found that a majority of individuals have an improperly adjusted head restraint, more commonly known as a head rest, and their incorrect use could be the key to whiplash-associated disorders. Whiplash�can put hundreds of pounds of force on the complex muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other structures that surround the cervical spine, causing damage and/or injury.

A good head restraint position can be obtained by eliminating or reducing the amount of space from which the head can move. In doing so, the strain which is placed on the neck can be greatly reduced. The head restraint also needs to be positioned where the back of the head will be leveled directly with the middle of the head rest while the seat will need to be positioned where the head is placed very close to the head restraint. There should be a maximum of 2.5 inches between the head and the restraint.

Properly adjusting the head restraint of your car can help reduce the chance of neck injury during an automobile accident. If you�ve been involved in a car collision, seek immediate medical attention to diagnose any other possible injuries or developing conditions, such as whiplash, to begin medical treatment as soon as possible. Chiropractic care can provide effective treatment for many individuals with whiplash-type injuries through the use of spinal adjustments to the cervical spine as well as manual manipulation to relieve muscle pain and soreness.�Additionally, a chiropractor may also recommend following a specific routine of stretches and exercises to promote faster healing for your whiplash symptoms.�

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Natural Antidepressants

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Depression approximately affects more than 3 million people in the United States alone.�A majority of people resolve to taking antidepressants in an attempt to relieve their symptoms of depression but using medication doesn�t have to be your first option for treatment. You can reduce your depression, and improve your mood and overall mental health by using the following natural antidepressants.

Exercise is believed to be the number one, but often underused, natural antidepressant effective towards treating mild to moderate depression.�When you exercise, the body releases chemicals known as endorphins which collaborate with receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain. Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, helping to reduce stress, boost self-esteem, and avert anxiety and feelings of depression.

Sunlight exposure is also a great natural antidepressant.�An exposure to sunlight triggers the brain�s release of a hormone known as serotonin. If there is not enough exposure to sunlight, an individual�s levels of serotonin in their body can drop significantly. The low levels of serotonin can often be associated with an increased risk for people to develop depression.�Getting anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes of indirect sunlight, 2 to 3 times a week can be enough to feel the positive benefits of the sun on your mood.

Sugar can also largely aggravate depression.�The consumption of sugar causes tremendous highs and lows in the body�s glucose metabolism. Also, the body uses vitamin B to process sugar. Vitamin B helps convert food into energy as well as regulate the nervous system. If you use up your vitamin B processing sugars, there won�t be much left to help regulate your mood.

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Choosing a Pillow for Neck Symptoms

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

For an individual with neck pain, the hardships that come with a deep sleep are not unusual, however, choosing a proper pillow can help ease the symptoms of neck pain. The only requirement is, taking careful considerations of your own sleeping habits to purchase a pillow that will benefit your overall health in the long run.

There are numerous varieties of pillows to choose from but beforehand, you must first determine the primary position you sleep in. Pillows come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and firmness, and, depending on your sleeping position, some pillows can support the head and neck more comfortably than others. When shopping for a new pillow, consider the following tips and avoid settling for an improper pillow choice.

First, before selecting a new pillow, make sure to consult your chiropractor for suggestions. Chiropractors understand the cause of neck pain better than many and they may give you valuable information and recommendations on which type of pillow would be most beneficial for your sleeping posture and source of neck symptoms.

Then, consider doing some research in terms of a pillow�s filling before purchasing one. Pillows are filled with a variety of material which is also important when considering which type of pillow will be the best choice for you.�

Also, it�s important to consider the size of the pillow. Pillows typically range between 4 to 6 inches in height in order to help relieve pressure points around the neck and shoulders. Pillows which tend to be thicker or flatter then the average height are most often improper choices for the majority of people.�An individuals size in relation to their pillow should also be considered.�

The function of a pillow is to provide comfort and support as well as hold the neck in a neutral position while sleeping. If your current pillow is not doing this for you, it could be one source for your neck pain.

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Cervicogenic Dizziness from Whiplash

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Cervicogenic Dizziness from�Whiplash

Dizziness is a word used to describe a feeling of false sense of motion or spinning, lightheadedness, and disorientation, an uncomfortable feeling that continuously affects approximately 11-28% of adults.

Cervicogenic dizziness originates from complications on the cervical spine or neck. The neck, as the rest of the spine, has an important function in the body�s postural control. The neck is�

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