Natural Remedies for a Herniated Disc

August 17, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

When working to keep your spine healthy, we want to address the discs, or the cushion between each vertebrae. Sometimes the disc can bulge from too much pressure or even spill out in which case it is considered a herniated disc.

A herniated disc may also be referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. This can be caused by wear and tear or an injury.

An MRI can confirm a herniated disc. However, many people will recognize the symptoms of back pain or shooting pain, but symptoms can vary from person to person. Regardless, it is always better to be proactive when it comes to your health. The spine is degenerative in nature, so taking action as early as possible is wise.

Nutrition
Collagen is required to repair and restore damaged soft tissues such as the disc and surrounding ligaments. You can find collagen in bone broth which is very easy to make and inexpensive! Throw some bones in a slow cooker. Add water and a Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Keep in on low for 24 hours and you’re good to go. It’s easy and freezable! You could also use supplemental form. I use one from Great Lakes Gelatin Co. that’s hot or cold liquid soluble. For a herniated disc, two to three servings a day are typically recommended.

Foods rich with antioxidants are also recommended for herniated discs. Examples of these foods are blueberries, blackberries, and artichokes. Anti-inflammatory foods and/or supplements also will speed the healing process for herniated discs. Examples of these include turmeric, omega-3 fish oil, and an overall whole-food diet.

Exercise and Movement
With a herniated disc, it is critical that posture is addressed. Herniated discs can stem from a loss of normal curvature in the spine. For example, a forward head posture can lead to loss of the normal curve and make you prone to a herniated disc in the neck. Specific exercises can be prescribed for the area of the spine in trouble. At Relief Plus Chiropractic, we can also work to incorporate traction to the spine along with therapies to help hydrate the discs.

Get Corrective Chiropractic Care
Of course corrective chiropractic care can be highly beneficial to a herniated disc. Corrective care, or a series of adjustments to help retrain the spine and its movement can help get the pressure off of the disc and facilitate healing.

A herniated disc may touch neighboring nerves which can cause pain and symptoms. A chiropractic adjustment will help allow the nerves to transmit without interference.

Natural Herniated Disc Remedies

[Read more…]

When you feel Numbness or Tingling

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

At some point you’ve probably had the sensation of numbness or tingling. It could be your foot that “fell asleep” or you might experience the feeling of “pins and needles.” Occasionally a person can have a momentary tingly elbow from hitting it at just the right spot or tingly feet from sitting on them. However reoccurring symptoms of tingling or numbness is not normal and should be checked by your chiropractic doctor.

Numbness and tingling is your body’s way of communicating that there is a nerve problem! It is commonly felt in the hands and fingers but can be also be felt in the feet, legs, elbow, or throughout the body. Regardless of location the sensation occurs when a sensory nerve becomes impinged and therefore there is reduced input from that nerve to the brain. Normal sensation returns in most cases upon removing the impingement.

Long lasting or severe impingements can lead to nerve damage and possibly permanent numbness so removing the insult is critical. Once it is removed, typically by chiropractic adjustments, the nerve undergoes a repair process. Commonly nerve impingements occur in the spine due to subluxation (when a bone out of place impinges on a nerve) or herniated discs. When the numbness or tingling is felt in the shoulders, arms, wrists, or fingers the nerve pressure is typically occurring the cervical spine (neck). Nerve sensations in the legs or feet are usually coming from pressure on the lumbar (low back) spinal nerves.

Chiropractic Helps with Numbness and Tingling

Chiropractors remove nerve interference without the use of drugs, needles, or surgery. It is completely natural and non-invasive. Removing nerve irritation results in a better feeling and a better functioning body.

At Relief Plus Chiropractic in Minnetonka MN, we are here to remove any nerve interference so that your body can innately heal. We want to get to the cause of the problem and provide a care plan to get you results that keep you feeling and functioning at your absolute best! Call Today to schedule your FREE CONSULTATION to see how we can improve your health! (952) 681-2863

Why it is Important to See a Chiropractor after a Car Accident – Minnetonka

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. 2 Comments

Chances are you’ve been in a car accident or know someone who has. Accidents happen all the time whether you hit a deer, run into a sign, hit another vehicle or someone hits you. Chiropractors are trained in checking for whiplash and injuries after someone has been involved in a motor vehicle accident. You may wonder why you should you get your spine checked following an accident?

If the car needs repair chances are good that you need repair as well. If the force at impact was great enough to smash metal, then I’m sure you would agree with me that the same force could have potentially shifted the joints in your spine. A car can be smashed in but still drive okay. Similarly, your spine can have resulting damage from an auto accident but you can still feel okay. Regardless of how you feel, a chiropractic evaluation will reveal any spinal damage caused by the accident.

Often times the car is the first priority of the accident victim. It can be overwhelming to try to get everything back to normal following an accident. Of course it is a good idea to get repairs made to your car. But as I tell many patients, we typically go through multiple cars in our lifetime but only get one body to live in.

Like many health problems, the damage from whiplash can set in silently where consciously you are unaware that the problem is developing. We see this often as many times patients come in months after the impact with terrible shoulder tension or headaches. At this point scar tissue has set in and it is much more difficult to get the patient to where s/he wants to be in regards to health.

The sooner an injury patient gets checked following the accident the better the resulting health! It is so important to get checked to avoid chronic pain in the future or permanent damage. The longer you wait after the accident means you will have a higher chance of experiencing irreversible spinal damage.

At Relief Plus Chiropractic we specialize in chiropractic and massage to get you feeling good and give you maximum opportunity to avoid chronic pain. A car accident, can result in soreness or experiencing symptoms such as:

Neck pain
Headaches
Poor Sleep
Feeling Dizzy
Back Pain
Numbness
Anxiety
Joint Stiffness
Loss of Range of Motion
Knee Pain
Numbness
Tingling

Degeneration in the joints begins in as little as two weeks. Unfortunately this damage is irreversible. This is why it is critical to get evaluated immediately by a chiropractor.

At Relief Plus Chiropractic, we have had the opportunity to help a variety of patients involved in auto accidents. We want to be sure that you can have your life back and enjoy life into the future! Please visit www.releifplusmn.com to learn more or give us a call (952) 681-2863.

Shoulder Pain

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

Shoulder problems can come in many forms. Some suffer from persistent pain while others have recurring pain or the inability to carry items or use the arm. As frustrating as it may be, you are smart to look to chiropractic as a means to helping your shoulder problem naturally.

Problems in the shoulder can arise from a variety of reasons; of course trauma and commonly from overuse. Repetitive motion or overuse causes inflammation of the tendons and the bursa that lie between the ball and socket of the shoulder.

In addition, the arm being a large lever on the body can pry at the spine. This force can cause vertebral subluxations by pulling at the vertebrae, especially in the neck and upper back. When these vertebrae get stuck out of their normal position, it leads to pressure on the nerves that go to the shoulder region. This not only can cause pain but may also result in other symptoms such as lack of range of motion, inability to lift the arm, numbness, or tingling within the shoulder or even into the elbow and hand.

Forward head posture is also a culprit to shoulder pain. When the head is carried forward rather than in line with the shoulders, a person’s relaxed posture becomes one in which the shoulders are rolled inward. This places abnormal strain on the muscle groups in the shoulder area.

Impingement Syndrome is one of the most common shoulder problems. The pain is usually felt deep within the joint in the front of the shoulder and worse with overhead activities. In these cases, when the soft tissues of the shoulder are repetitively used, it can lead to inflammation. Increased inflammation, or swelling leads to the impingement in the shoulder and the sensation of pinching when the arm is lifted.

Inflammation of the tendons and bursa, if left untreated can progress to chronic scarring and permanent thickening of the involved soft tissue. This makes healing more difficult and the permanent damage in severe cases can lead to tears that could potentially require surgery.

Chiropractic Treatment of the Shoulder

Before treatment can begin for any condition it is of most importance to perform a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause of the problem and its severity.

Treatment and rehabilitation of the shoulder can help to restore normal biomechanics of the shoulder and prevent future injuries to the area. Flexibility and strengthening are emphasized to support the joint. Also, massage therapy helps to break down and remodel the scar tissue that has formed. When all of the joints involved are functioning properly, there is less stress on the pulling soft tissues!

To figure out the cause of your shoulder problem, contact our chiropractic office today at (952) 681-2863. At Relief Plus Chiropractic, we want to get you out of pain as quickly as possible, but also get you on the road to long-term correction! Consultations are always free, and we look forward to helping you!

Whiplash After Car Accident

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

This time of year, as the conditions of the roads change to ice and snow we are all more prone to car accidents. Many Minnesotans experience whiplash injuries, as most car accidents in Minneapolis are rear end collisions. If you or someone you know has found to be in this unfortunate situation, it is imperative to have your spine checked for whiplash as soon as possible.

How do you know if you’ve had Whiplash?

Whiplash, or neck injury is not something to take lightly. A thorough chiropractic examination along with x-rays can determine the extent of your injury.

Pain is not always present with whiplash injury. A very common occurrence following an auto collision is to feel fine initially, with a delayed onset of symptomsa. In some cases, the degeneration sets in silently after the whiplash and the pain and health problems show up weeks, months, or even years later.

Damage to the car is also not indicative of injury. In fact, physics tells us that in cases where there is no damage to the car, the occupants absorb most of the force. Injury can occur even if hit by a car going less than 5 mph, so we also know that speed of the collision does not correlate to the degree of injury.

How does Chiropractic Help with Whiplash?

Chiropractors are trained for these types of injuries, and it is important to work with a provider who understands the problem. Chiropractic along with massage therapy restores joint and soft tissue function after whiplash. When the injury is left untreated, arthritis, degeneration, surgery as well as a number of other health problems can result, even if the initial injury seemed minor.

One study, known as the Woodward study, found 93% of 28 whiplash patients to significantly improve while under chiropractic care. Prior to the study many of the patients had tried NSAIDS and physiotherapy.

Whiplash injuries, headaches, neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, tingling, numbness, and a number of other issues respond very well to effective treatment from a chiropractor.

At Relief Plus Chiropractic, we have had success with a number of whiplash injury patients. We’ve also found that the best results are with those who get care shortly following the incident. They are much more difficult to correct if you’ve waited a long time to get help. The sooner you start receiving care, the less chance there is of developing long-term damage.

Relief Plus Chiropractic is a leading healthcare center serving Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Hopkins. We have experience helping people who have suffered not only from whiplash injuries, but also from other injuries following a motor vehicle accident. Call today to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION at (952) 681-2863.

Chiropractic for Knee Pain

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

Knee pain is a common symptom reported in our office. These weight bearing joints take a lot of force every day as we walk around and stand.

The knees were designed primarily for forward and backward movement. Any sideway or torqueing motion is difficult for the knees to handle and can cause injury.

Any direct trauma to the knees can cause injury and acute pain including falls and motor vehicle accidents. Chronic knee pain can be caused by overuse of the knee. It can also be caused by misalignment within the knee joint or other related joints. If these chronic causes are left untreated, they can lead to arthritis.

In the case of knee pain, the ankle, hip, spine, and pelvis should all be examined as they form a kinetic chain and directly affect one another. The pain in the knee could be referred from another structure. Or if the problem resides in another structure such as the hip there can be increased stress on the knee joint. Over time this can lead to injury.

Chiropractic Treatment of Knee Pain

Over the counter medications may reduce the pain and inflammation, but will not take care of the underlying problem. After an injury, icing is generally recommended to decrease initial pain and muscle spasm.

Chiropractic adjustments and deep tissue massage to the injured areas and any areas with misalignments will reduce stress on the joint.

If you or someone you know is experiencing knee pain call us today at (952) 681-2863 so we can get you recovering as soon as possible!

Dr. Hillesheim is a chiropractor in Minnetonka MN. She is the owner of Relief Plus Chiropractic. For more information and to see if chiropractic is right for you visit us at www.reliefplusmn.com or call (952) 681-2863.

Long Term Effects of Subluxation – Minnetonka Chiropractor

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

What is a Subluxation?

The primary role of the chiropractor is to find and fix subluxations. A subluxation is a vertebrae out of its normal position, interfering with a nerve. This creates two potential problems:

Pain – This can be at the point of the nerve pressure or along the course of the nerve. Only 10% of the trillions of nerve fibers in your body are pain-sensing nerves.

Malfunction in the Body – Subluxations can “choke off’ the nerve information traveling form the brain, through the spine, and into the body. This can cause symptoms, malfunction, and lead to disease. The 90% of the nerves that don’t carry pain are responsible for proper body function.

Long Term Effects OF Sublexation

If a subluxation exists it can have life-changing effects, especially if left over time.

Degenerative Joint Disease

This is also known as osteoarthritis, and is a silent disease process that grinds away at the disc and the bones. It is caused by the extra pressure produced on the bones and disc from a subluxation. There will be no pain during this wearing out process until significant damage has occurred.

Malfunctioning Organs, Muscles, and Limbs

Nerve pressure interferes with the flow of the nerve transmission coming from the brain down the spinal cord and into the body and back up. The result may cause pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, decreased immunity, loss of normal function and eventual disease of the organs, glands, and nerves.

Dr. Sara Hillesheim is a chiropractor at Relief Plus Chiropractic in Minnetonka MN. Our office is located at County Road 101 and Minnetonka Blvd. near Deephaven and Wayzata. To learn more please visit www.reliefplusmn.com or call our office at (952) 681-2863.

Chiropractic and TMJ -Minnetonka Chiropractor

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

The jaw joint is one of the most frequently used in the body. The muscles surrounding it allow us to chew, speak, yawn, and swallow.

Over 10 million Americans suffer from TMJ disorder. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD or TMJ disorder) describes a conditions in which there is pain or noise in the chewing muscles or temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and limited mandibular function. It can be on one side of the jaw, both, or move from side to side. Women are more likely to have issues with these joints than men, and the average age on onset is between 18 and 26.

There is an articular disk that separates the condyle head of the mandible and the skull. When it is misplaced, it causes TMD.

TMD can be deceiving! The objective and subjective findings of TMD do not always match up. Studies show that older people who exhibit objective symptoms of TMD do not complain of pain and younger people who do not have any objective signs of TMD complain of severe pain.

TMD can be caused by degenerative joint disease such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis within the jaw. It can also be caused by a dislocated jaw or jaw injury. A car crash can force the bone out of position; whilplash is a very common cause of TMD. TMJ disorders can also be caused from missing or misaligned teeth that force the bone out of its proper position.

Stress plays a role in the development of TMD, because it often leads to clenching of the jaw or bruxism, commonly known as teeth grinding. This can overstrain muscles of the jaw and can flow to pain in the head, neck, and face.

The most common form of TMD is discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function and the neck muscles. Other symptoms associated with TMD include headaches, facial pain, tinnitus, popping of the jaw, locking of the jaw, and limited range of motion in the joint. There may be noises such as clicking, grinding or crunching when you open and close the mouth.

Relaxation and stress management along with chiropractic adjustments can help! Diet modification may also be necessary. The National Institute of Health advises sufferers of TMD to avoid surgery if possible because the risks outweigh the benefits. In fact, inserting artificial implants into the TMJ may cause permanent jaw damage and severe pain.

Chiropractic has helped many with TMD without the use of medication or surgery. Of course each case can be different and the only way to see if chiropractic can benefit is to undergo an appropriate evaluation.

Dr. Sara Hillesheim is a chiropractor at Relief Plus Chiropractic in Minnetonka MN. Our office is near Wayzata, Hopkins, and Shorewood at the intersection of County Road 101 and Minnetonka Blvd. At Relief Plus Chiropractic we are here to serve the community by providing the highest level of chiropractic care. Click Here for your Free Consultation.

Breathe Easier with Chiropractic for Asthma – Minnetonka MN

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

Most people are familiar with asthma and probably know someone who has it. It is a condition often found in kids and young adults, but it can persist into adulthood that restricts breathing. There are different types of asthma, but those who have this condition are often forced to use a prescribed inhaler to help keep the airways open. It is important to note that these inhalers consist of steroids – not something you want to be using regularly over several years if you can avoid it! The steroid mist allows for the dilatation of the airway, but can have harmful side effects. There was a study in 2005 that showed 80% of the 5,000 asthma related deaths were due to drug treatment, not the disease.

Understandably, many parents are concerned about the side effects and are looking for natural methods to help their asthmatic child.

Children’s Asthma and Chiropractic

An article published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (Vol. 1 No. 4) showed positive effects of chiropractic care on 81 children with asthma. It concluded that “Based upon information currently available, chiropractic care represents a safe non-pharmacological health care approach, that may be associated with a decrease in asthma-related impairment, reduced respiratory effort, and a decrease incidence of asthma attacks. The correction of vertebral subluxation could reduce or eliminate the need for medication, and potentially ease the severity of the asthmatic condition.”

Study after study shows remarkable improvement for asthma suffers who undergo chiropractic care. Improvements include decrease in symptoms as well as decrease in the use of the acute asthma attack medication. This is great news as chiropractic is completely natural and does not have the dangerous side effects that medications can have!

With chiropractic care, we have kids that no longer use their inhalers because we get their bodies working naturally. An area of the spine that we look to for asthma is between the shoulder blades. In a person with asthma, there may be pressure on the nerves that exit at those vertebral levels. Those nerves go to the smooth muscle lining of the lungs. Like any muscle when there’s an injury to an area, the muscle tends to spasm. This shortens the lung capacity by 30-40% so there is labored breathing. Chiropractic care takes the pressure off the nerve so the body restores itself, making the breathing easier.

The nerves in the cervical, or neck region, should also be checked carefully as they contribute to lung function. At Relief Plus Chiropractic we check the entire spine to make sure that your body has full nerve supply and can work at its full potential. When there is good communication between the brain and the organs via the nerves, the body is able to express life better. With chiropractic, we focus on preventing the asthmatic attacks rather than trying to chase the symptoms. Experts will agree that a fully functioning nervous system, that is free of interference, allows the best opportunity for the expression of health.

Get Asthma Relief!

If you or someone you know has been suffering from asthma and is looking for an alternative method to get to the cause of your symptoms, we encourage you to call our office and take advantage of a FREE Consultation. Dr. Sara Hillesheim of Relief Plus Chiropractic is a Minnetonka chiropractor dedicated to spreading the message of chiropractic and helping as many people as possible achieve a lifetime of health and wellness. Our office is located near the intersection of County Road 101 and Minnetonka Boulevard near Wayzata MN and Deephaven MN. Call our office today at (952) 681-2863! – See more at: http://www.reliefplusmn.com

Chiropractic for Arthritis in Minnetonka MN

March 31, 2016 By Dr. Sara Edwards, D.C. Leave a Comment

Arthritis is a condition that can be both painful and debilitating. It can significantly affect one’s quality of life.

There are many forms of arthritis. In some cases it occurs when the cartilage that lines the joint surface wears out, and in others it is an autoimmune disease and inflammatory. Chiropractic adjustments have been proven remarkably effective in helping with arthritic symptoms including stiffness and pain.

Chiropractic addresses the issue of increasing the motion in the body by decreasing restrictions in spinal joints. Our spinal joints are present to allow us to bend and twist, so when the small joints of the spine aren’t moving properly, neither are we. This can be limiting as well as painful. When the spine is able to move more freely, the need for pain medications decreases or ceases altogether.

Prevent Arthritis from Getting Worse

Like many health conditions, it is much easier to fight it before it gets to the point of pain and symptoms. It is highly encouraged to be proactive with your health, especially arthritis because once present it is typically permanent.

While chiropractic can aid in the management of arthritis, it can also prevent arthritis, as well as its progression, and all of its damaging effects. When one makes appropriate lifestyle modifications to their diet, exercise, and maintaining the body’s alignment, s/he can offset the health problems that accompany arthritis.

The greatest contributor to degeneration of the spine is misalignments of the vertebrae. This leads to improper biomechanics which stresses the joints and causes the wear and tear.

As the bones shift out of place from trauma or everyday activity, the body will try to stabilize the joint by laying down more bone over time. This causes the bone to become denser and possibly create osteophytes, commonly known as bone spurs. This added bone means added pressure on the spinal cord, nerves that exit at that spinal level, and spinal discs. This added pressure hinders motion and function and can cause pain.

These changes can be seen on a spinal x-ray as bony outgrowths or loss of disc height between vertebral bones. Unfortunately you cannot sense this process so it usually goes undetected until it’s irreversible degenerative effects have taken place.

Conventional medicine is usually more reactive to arthritis than proactive. There are drugs and medications that can cover up the pain symptoms. However these drugs can be addictive, have harmful and unpleasant side-effects, and do not address the underlying problem. If left undealt with the problem can lead to surgery, which has risks and often does not attain the desired results.

Choose Chiropractic

Chiropractic is based on the body’s ability to heal itself. When spinal misalignments are addressed by a chiropractor, there is a greater ease of movement and decrease of fluid buildup in the joints that is often found with arthritis.

Chiropractic is a better choice for relief of symptoms than NSAIDS (such as Advil or Tylenol) or over the counter medications that have harmful side effects, especially with long-term use. In fact the American Medical Association recommends a limit of 1,000 Tylenol per lifetime to avoid major liver damage. This is not something you want to be popping daily! The good news is that chiropractic is completely natural, non-invasive, and will help your organs function better –not harm them!

If you or someone you know is suffering from arthritis or looking for a plan to prevent arthritis check out your Minnetonka chiropractic office today. Dr. Hillesheim and the staff at Relief Plus Chiropractic are experienced and ready to help you reach your highest potential throughout your life. Call us today at (952) 681-2863!