Keeping appointments and college

This month I have a quick thought and then an answer to a question I was asked a few times in the past several weeks.  First, the quick thought…

Spring is a busy time…yards to clean up, flowers to plant, lawns to mow, school activities to attend, and just getting outside to enjoy the nice weather.  It’s easy to put things on your “to do list” ahead of taking care of yourself.  Please do yourself a favorthough, and don’t allow that to happen.  Get your rest, eat well and keep your chiropractic appointments.  You may be feeling well and have 5 things that you would rather do than drive across town for an appointment, but please don’t neglect your spine.  A lack of pain is not a good indicator of your spinal health.  Please don’t assume that just because you are not feeling pain that your spinal health can be put on the back burner.  Bending over to work in the yard, sitting on bleachers, going for a run, etc., all put a stress on your back.  You may not feel it right away, but eventually that stress tends to show up as pain if you neglect your spine.  Keeping your appointments, even when you are feeling well, is a great way to help your spine stay healthy and avoid injury.  

Next, the question I was asked a few times recently was how many years of college did it take to become a chiropractor and what was it like.  Well, most chiropractors have 4 years of undergraduate studies and then approximately three and a half years of Chiropractic College.  The undergraduate studies focus on the sciences.  Essentially, we take pre-med classes; chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, physics, biology, anatomy, physiology, etc.   Chiropractic College starts with a lot of those same classes again as well as several spinal anatomy and neurology classes.  There are also many x-ray classes that teach how to take and read an x-ray of any part of the body.  After we learn seemingly everything you could possibly imagine about the body, we spend the next year learning how to perform an exam and how to adjust the spine and extremities.  The final year of school then focuses on adjusting people while under supervision at the college clinic.  The whole process is a lot of work, but it is definitely worth it.  There is nothing more rewarding I can think of than helping someone with their health!

Dr Paul Aalderink DC

Allergies, allergies, allergies... Happy Spring!

Spring is here…at least the calendar says it is.  Although it has been slow in arriving, spring will eventually get here.  That will mean warmer weather, planting gardens, daffodils and tulips, and the first smell of freshly cut grass.  Unfortunately, it may also mean some misery if you suffer from allergies.  You won’t be alone.  Some 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies.

In a nutshell, allergies are an overreaction by the immune system to what is really a relatively harmless substance.  Pollen is by far the largest offending substance in the spring.  The pollen comes from all the various grasses and trees that are coming out of their winter slumber.  Most release pollen for only a couple of weeks.  Some, however, may release pollen for more than a month.  Not all grasses and trees release pollen at the same time either.  Consequently, depending on what you are allergic to, you may suffer from allergies early spring, mid spring, late spring or all spring. 

Many people will turn to antihistamines, nasal sprays, allergy shots, etc.  There are also many herbs and supplements to try as well as dietary changes.  You may recall back during cold and flu season, I talked about the importance of your gut in regards to your immune system.  In fact, about 80% of your immune system is in your gut.  A diet high in sugar and processed grains can interfere with the proper functioning of the gut and therefore, contribute to a malfunctioning immune system causing an allergy.  So take care of your gut by watching what you eat and consider prebiotics and probiotics too.  

Another consideration is to get your spine checked.  Every spring, Dr. Stan and I have many patients comment about how much better their allergies are when they get adjusted.  We don’t have some special “allergy adjustment” and we don’t “treat” them for allergies.  We simply look for the subluxations (refer back to previous blog posts if you don’t know what that is) and adjust them.  Remember, everything is controlled directly or indirectly by the nervous system.  So, if we can improve the nervous system by reducing subluxations, we can improve the immune system and potentially help with allergies.

Happy spring!!!

Dr Paul Aalderink

Blood pressure out of control? Is your head on straight?

  Blood pressure out of control?  Is your head on straight?

  Last time I discussed subluxations and the importance of finding them and fixing them.  I thought it would be helpful to show a real life example involving subluxations and high blood pressure.  I’m sure you are aware that high blood pressure is dangerous.  It increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the first and third most common causes of death.  Oftentimes it is asymptomatic…many people don’t even know they have it until a routine doctor visit.  By the time they do find out, they may have already begun to develop heart disease and kidney troubles.

    There are things you can do to help lower blood pressure.  There are, of course, medications.   You can also lose weight, exercise, or change your diet.  Most people are aware of these methods. Have you ever thought, however, of getting a NUCCA adjustment?  Perhaps you should.

    There is a well done randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study that looked at the impact of a NUCCA adjustment on blood pressure.  The study had 50 participants.  All of the participants were taken off of their blood pressure medication for 8 weeks.  Half of them received a NUCCA adjustment, and half received a “sham” adjustment.  The results were quite startling.

    A significant drop in blood pressure was noted in the group that received the NUCCA adjustment.  In fact, the drop in blood pressure was similar to that typically seen in patients given TWO antihypertensive medications simultaneously.  Additionally, the improvement in blood pressure persisted for the 8 weeks of the study.  The hypothesis is that the NUCCA adjustment has an effect on control centers (nerves) near the brain stem.

    This is what I was highlighting in the previous blog posts about subluxations…Subluxations interfere with proper nerve communication which can result in many different symptoms.  Therefore, it is important to be evaluated by a NUCCA chiropractor for the presence of subluxations.   We can then adjust the subluxations, helping the body to function at its optimum potential.

Dr Paul Aalderink

NUCCA Chiropractor

What you don’t know CAN hurt you!

Last time I talked about subluxations.  I discussed what they are, how they occur, what symptoms they can produce, and why it is important to seek chiropractic care as soon as possible when you know you have one.  The problem is, oftentimes, you don’t know you have them!!!  I ended the last blog stating that the only thing worse than knowing you have a subluxation, is not knowing you have a subluxation.  It’s hard to believe that with all the pain and discomfort they can cause, that you wouldn’t know when you have a subluxation.  Let’s talk about that.

    You’ll recall the different components of a subluxation from last time.  NONE of them are good.  To me though, the worst component is the effect a subluxation can have on the nerves.  Certainly the pain produced by a “pinched” or irritated nerve is horrible.  Anyone who has experienced sciatica can attest to that.  Perhaps worse than that, however, are the insidious effects they can have on the nerves.  This is because not all nerves are designed to carry pain.  In fact, most nerves carry some type of information other than pain.

    Everything in the body is controlled directly, or indirectly, by the nervous system.  When you tell your arm to move, it moves because your brain sends a signal down the nerves telling thearm what to do.  The brain is constantly sending and receiving information/messages/instructions through all of the nerves that travel down and out of the spinal canal.  How does your arm move?...Nerves.  How does your pancreas know how much insulin to secrete to keep your blood sugar where it needs to be?...Nerves.  How does your heart rate increase with activity?...Nerves.  How does your body temperature stay at 98.6 degrees?...Nerves.  Why do you develop a fever when you are sick?...Nerves communicating with your immune system.  Think of essentially anything going on in your body right now and it is being controlled directly or indirectly by your nerves or nervous system.  

    It’s a great design.  Just imagine if you had to consciously think about every process in your body at all times; you couldn’t do it.  Your nervous system does it for you on “auto-pilot”.  That’s great!  Factor in however, that most of the nerves that are taking care of these functions do not carry pain signals. That’s fine, until a subluxation occurs.   Without a pain signal, how do you know something is wrong? As an anology, think of a garden.  If the hose supplying water to the garden were somehow kinked or “pinched”, the hose would still deliver water to the garden, just not the usual amount.  There is a good chance you wouldn’t notice right away.  The garden would continue to grow, just not as well as it could grow.  The garden may survive,but not thrive.  It may take you a while to recognize that there is a problem and if you don’t recognize it soon enough, the damage will be done and the effects on the garden will become irreversible.

    So it goes with subluxations.  If the subluxation irritates a nerve involved in the function of your immune system, digestive system, circulatory system, etc., there is a good chance youwon’t know, because there often isn’t any pain signal.  In fact, it is quite likely that this will not result in any immediate perceptible symptom at all.  Your immune system will still function, just maybe not as well as it could.  Your digestive system or circulatory system, etc. will still function, just maybe not as well as they could.  Will you recognize this soon enough?  I hope so.

    One way to help detect these subluxations is to give us a call.  We specialize in finding and adjusting subluxations…ones you can feel, and ones you can’t.  The next time you “pull a muscle” or “pinch a nerve”, think about the last blog…these are signs of a subluxation.  Then think about this blog…subluxations can have insidious effects.  Just because the initial pain from the subluxation may go away, does that really mean everything is OK?  Something else to ponder… it’s commonly accepted as a good idea to get your teeth checked twice a year for cavities, even if you don’t have any pain (toothache).  Perhaps it’s a good idea to get your spine checked for subluxations, even if you don’t have any pain. Encourage those you care about to do the same.

- Dr Paul Aalderink

“I have a pinched nerve.” Well, probably not.

    “I think I pinched a nerve.”  Or, “I think I pulled a muscle.”  We hear this often from patients.  Although it is possible to “pinch” a nerve or “pull” a muscle, more often, the cause of the pain is a subluxation.  What is a subluxation?  Well, it has several components to it.  These include spinal misalignment/altered biomechanics, muscle spasm/weakness, swelling/inflammation of tissue and nerve irritation.  These components all gang up on the body and often create a symptom of some kind.  That could be stiffness, soreness, achiness, tightness, muscle spasm, sharp pain, dull pain, shooting pain, burning pain, headache, etc.  

    The process goes something like this… We get a spinal misalignment/altered biomechanics from any number of things; stepping off a curb wrong, sleeping on our stomach, slips/falls, accidents, poor workstation ergonomics, poor posture and on and on.  The list is nearly endless.  Once the misalignment occurs, now the surrounding muscles, joints and nerves are affected.  This may create muscle spasm or tightness.  It may feel like you “pulled a muscle”.  The joint may become inflamed creating sharp pain in the short term, or a more chronic achy pain/stiffness/soreness, in the long term as the joint degenerates.  The nerve too becomes irritated in some way.  On occasion it may be “pinched”, but more often it is stretched, pulled, scrapedor irritated by surrounding inflammation.  This can result in numbness, tingling or burning down an arm or leg, headaches, or muscle spasms to name a few.

    It’s important to seek chiropractic care as soon as possible when a subluxation occurs. Without care, a cascade of events occurs and things go off the rails.  First, the subluxated joint may heal, but it will most likely do so with fixation (hypomoblity).  This is accompanied by fibrosis and adhesions and eventually, degeneration.  The body then tries to compensate for this, so the joints above and below work overtime, which leads to their eventual degeneration as well.   This is why many people lose flexibility or range of motion after an injury.  It’s also why some people “shrink” as they age.

    It’s also why people may “pull a muscle” or “pinch a nerve” from doing what would often seem to be a simple task or movement.  The subluxation has been hiding dormant, festering for weeks, months or years until it rears its ugly head.  That’s why I think, when it comes to subluxations, the only thing worse than knowing you have a subluxation, is not knowing you have a subluxation.  More on that next time!

Dr Paul Aalderink

Why I'm A Chiropractor AND A Chiropractic Patient For Life

I first experienced chiropractic as a child.  I remember watching my mom suffer from bad migraines and my dad suffer from debilitating back pain.  They met a chiropractor who encouraged them to come in for care to see if he could help them.  They both responded very well to chiropractic care.  The positive changes in my parents’ health made a big impression on me.  By age 12, I knew I wanted to be a chiropractor.  I wanted to help others the same way my parents were helped.   After their success with chiropractic, my parents began to take my sister and me to get checked and adjusted.  We didn’t have any symptoms.  We simply got checked for our overall well-being.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, I recognize that I was sick much less often than my friends who were not going to a chiropractor.

      During my career as a chiropractor, I have witnessed many patients experience life altering changes.  I have seen colicky babies stop crying and sleep through the night; I have seen allergy sufferers improve; I have seen patients with MS and Parkinson’s function better; I have seen people limp in and walk out.  I have seen all of this and much more.  Chiropractic doesn’t treat any of these conditions.  Chiropractic helps the body to function better by keeping the spine more properly aligned.  The happiness I have experienced from witnessing these positive changes in others, through chiropractic care, confirms for me that the decision I made to be a chiropractor and a lifetime chiropractic patient myself, was the right decision.

    Everything in the body is controlled directly or indirectly by the nervous systems.  A large portion of the nervous systems travels through the spine.  When the nervous system can function free of interference, it allows the body to be as healthy as possible.  By keeping the spine properly aligned, chiropractic helps the nervous system to be free of interference and to function at its optimum potential.  This, in turn, helps the body to function at its optimum potential, too.  I truly believe the reason I am not on any medications, prescription or over the counter, is because I have been a lifetime chiropractic patient since my youth.  I know many others who would say the same.  I would like to invite you (and your friends/family) to join me in choosing chiropractic care for life as well.

Sincerely,

Dr. Paul Aalderink

Cold and flu is not a season

    Cold and flu “season” is nearly upon us!  Dr. Stan and I are often asked what can be done to prevent them.  First and foremost, it is vitally important to make sure you get your spine checked and adjusted.  There is a link between your nervous system and immune system.  Chiropractic adjustments can help the nervous system to communicate better with the immune system, and therefore, the immune system can function more efficiently and effectively. 

Secondly, it is important to make sure your digestive system is healthy.  It is estimated that 70% of the immune system functions through the digestive system.  If we don’t have the proper “good” bacteria in the gut, it isn’t healthy and the immune system will suffer (and ultimately we most likely will then, too).  Antibiotics can destroy much of the good bacteria.   This allows non-desirable bacteria, and other things like yeast, to grow and take over the gut. This is a very unhealthy situation.   Therefore, we would recommend that you take a Probiotic.  Probiotics are the good bacteria that we are supposed to have in our intestinal tract.  Additionally, it is a good idea to take a Prebiotic.  Prebiotics are the food that the good bacteria need to multiply and grow strong so that they can “choke out” the bad bacteria.

Taking Vitamin D3 can also help the immune system.  In fact, Vitamin D is an important vitamin for the immune system to function well.  We make Vitamin D via sun exposure.  If you have spent a winter or two in the West Michigan area, you may have noticed that we don’t have many sunny days in the fall and winter.  We often go to work in the dark and then return home in the dark as well.  Consequently, we don’t get much exposure to the sun from October through March.   So, consider taking Vitamin D3 starting now through early spring.  The common recommendation is 5000 IU’s a day. 

There are other supplements to consider as well and we can discuss those with you at any of your appointments.  I always have some Andrographis (herb) and some homeopathic remedies on hand to take at the first sign of any illness…they work great too.  Following the recommendations above are a good start however, and they should help your immune system to be revved up and ready to go for the upcoming cold and flu “season”.

Dr Paul Aalderink