Oct 27, 2022 | General Chiropractic
You want to go outside and play tennis with friends, but the allergy season is in full blast, and your allergies have kicked in today. Your over-the-counter medication helps, but you’re still left feeling like the thought of running around a tennis court is no longer appealing. Your friend carries an EpiPen in case of a bee sting. Your daughter wants a dog, but she’s allergic to any dog other than the ones with hair instead of fur. Allergies can really throw a wrench into your pursuit of happiness!
Fifty million Americans are allergy sufferers. That’s millions of hours and days of discomfort, dollars spent on medication, lost work days and wages, missing out on fun outdoors or delicious foods, and, in severe cases, life-threatening conditions.
Allergies can wreak havoc on your life. But what are they? And how do chiropractors fit into the allergy picture? Let’s explore allergies, how they work, and how chiropractic care can be an effective alternative to a traditional treatment plan.
What is an Allergy?
Allergies are equivalent to your body treating a normally harmless substance as a threat and triggering your immune system to take action and expel the unwanted invader. As part of the immune system, receptors in mast cells determine whether something you encounter is harmful or not and release histamine if a threat is detected. Unfortunately, this process can create a long list of possible allergy symptoms that will make your life miserable.
An allergic reaction results not so much from the allergen itself but your body’s interpretation of the substance as harmful.
What Things are People Allergic to?
The most common harmful substances fall into the following categories:
- Plants: several types of plants and pollen;
- Foods: nuts, eggs, fish, and several plant foods;
- Latex: gloves and other equipment;
- Drugs: certain categories of medications;
- Insects: stings and bites;
- Animals: fur or saliva;
- Various types of mold;
- Dust mites: tiny creatures that eat the dust formed by the skin cells you shed every day.
What are the Main Allergy Symptoms?
In general, mild allergy symptoms affect one area of the body and are considered harmless, moderate symptoms can migrate to multiple body parts, and severe reactions —anaphylaxis — affect the whole body and require emergency care.
Common symptoms include:
- Sneezing;
- Itchy, watery eyes;
- Congested or runny nose;
- Itching skin;
- Rashes, hives;
- Coughing;
- Bloating;
- Vomiting;
- Swelling;
- Digestive upset;
- Pain;
- Dizziness or lightheadedness;
- Breathing problems.
Traditional Allergy Treatment
Most medications include antihistamines, decongestants, or nasal steroids in the form of pills and nasal sprays. In addition, immunotherapy, or the allergy shot, is available for more stubborn cases.
Another, non-medication treatment is the nasal rinse. It involves flushing your sinuses with a saline solution, which physically removes allergens and mucus from your sinuses. Nasal rinses can reduce nose blowing and inflammation.
Of course, the best ‘treatment’ is to avoid the allergen altogether, when possible.
Can a Chiropractor Help with Allergies?
It doesn’t seem like there could be any connection between what a chiropractor does and allergies, does it? But read on, because there is a helpful, effective connection indeed!
Chiropractors work on the spine, the central nervous system, bones, joints, and surrounding muscles and tissues. The central nervous system is the means by which the brain sends signals down the spinal cord and communicates with the body. It is a major player in the proper functioning of all other bodily functions, including the immune and respiratory systems. But that system of communication can be disrupted if the spine is misaligned.
A chiropractor can restore alignment and, therefore, full communication pathways between the brain, spinal cord, and immune system. Chiropractic treatments don’t address allergies directly; they clear the way for the body to respond most effectively.
What Chiropractic Treatment Does
You’re only temporarily treating the symptoms when you take medication for your allergies. But a chiropractor’s treatment goes deeper than the surface symptoms by addressing the root of the issue! Chiropractic adjustments alleviate pressure on the nervous system, restoring communication pathways and freeing the immune system to work to its fullest and deal with allergens.
Chiropractic treatment leads to long-term allergy relief in several ways, such as:
- Stress reduction: Stress overburdens hormonal systems, so the body cannot handle allergic reactions efficiently.
- Increased immune response and strengthened respiratory system: Restoring alignment restores that critical communication between brain and body.
- Lifestyle recommendations: A chiropractor will consider your lifestyle and its effect on your allergies and make helpful recommendations.
Chiropractic care does not include medication, so you will be free of the costs and possible side effects associated with a temporary solution that only addresses symptoms!
Overall, chiropractic spinal adjustments balance the nervous system, giving the immune system the strength it needs to control allergic reactions.
Doerr is the Best Chiropractor for Allergies in New Jersey!
Treat your allergies with a drug-free alternative! At the Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center, our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, follows the highest and most professional medical standards to provide superior chiropractic help. Our mission is to provide unparalleled patient care and services in a comfortable healing atmosphere. Access our contact form or call us at (201) 298-7179 or (201) 357-6539 to learn more about our chiropractic services! Our chiropractic offices at 532 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, and 62 Summit Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601 are ready to welcome you as we proudly serve New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, areas. Also, feel free to access our blog page and our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information on chiropractic treatments!
Oct 20, 2022 | General Chiropractic
What if typical, everyday actions like talking, eating, and just opening and closing your mouth were painful? Imagine trying to get through your day while constantly experiencing such pain! For example, eating breakfast, making phone calls, or laughing at your friend’s bad jokes hurts, with the pain being mild, severe, or anything in between. In need of an answer? You may have a temporomandibular joint disorder.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the point where your jaw attaches to your skull. It acts like a hinge, allowing you to open and close your mouth and chew. When the TMJ becomes painful, medical doctors offer treatments and medications. But another, lesser-known option is available to you — chiropractic treatment. So, let’s see what this non-invasive option brings to the table.
What is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?
The Temporomandibular Joint
The TMJ is the hinge-like joint connecting the jaw to the skull. It not only moves the jaw up and down but also from side to side and front to back. Cartilage and a shock-absorbing disk keep the joint functioning comfortably, so you can cheer on your favorite sports team, yawn when you’re tired, and enjoy a bowl of chips and dip.
TMJ Disorder and Symptoms
But when the TMJ is damaged, you’re experiencing a TMJ disorder. Depending on the severity of the condition and the cause, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Pain in the jaw, ear, neck, and/or shoulder;
- Arms or hands tingling or numb;
- Jaw tenderness;
- Muscle soreness or spasms;
- Grinding the teeth;
- Trouble opening the mouth completely;
- A popping or clicking sound when opening the mouth.
If left untreated, TMJ disorder can worsen from mild to severe and lead to chronic pain.
What is Causing My TMJ Jaw Pain?
The causes of TMJ disorder are plentiful. It is often the result of:
- An injury, e.g., accident-related whiplash;
- Clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep;
- A punch or blow to the jaw.
The damage may also come from an eroded disk or a disease such as arthritis.
Traditional Treatment for TMJ Disorder
Depending on the severity and circumstances of the condition, the typical treatment for TMJ disorder often involves:
- Physical therapy;
- Stress reduction;
- Dental splints and mouth guards;
- Eating soft foods that require less chewing.
Some patients also benefit from education and counseling on avoiding behaviors that promote the disorder. Surgery may be recommended in extreme cases.
Doctors may also prescribe medications. Anti-inflammatories, antidepressants, and muscle relaxants are common for pain relief. However, the relieving effects of medication are temporary, meaning that the symptoms eventually return, at times worse than before, and medications often come with problematic side effects.
The Chiropractic Choice
One thing traditional treatment does not address is spinal misalignment, which can be a significant factor in the development of TMJ disorder. After all, your head is sitting at the top of your spine and controls the movement of the jaw. A misalignment will put pressure on the TMJ, tensing and overworking the muscles.
The chiropractor’s specialty is musculoskeletal disorders, imbalances, and misalignments. Here at Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center, we offer an alternative, highly effective approach to pain relief and restoration of full function. Our team of chiropractors, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, will locate the root cause of the problem and correct it through spinal manipulations — no need for medications or the side effects that often accompany them!
Chiropractic Adjustments
After a thorough examination, Dr. Doerr can adjust the jaw to restore muscle balance and relieve tension and pain. He may also need to adjust the spine if this is the source of the misalignment. In this case, the misalignment is probably also disrupting the functioning of other body systems.
In addition to the relief chiropractic adjustments bring, there are other advantages to this choice of chiropractic care. Compared to traditional treatment, chiropractic treatment for TMJ disorder is less expensive and less invasive — there are no appliances or surgeries. And as no medication is involved, you save the money you would have spent on prescriptions!
Research Supports Chiropractic Treatment for TMJ Disorder
There is research suggesting that chiropractic treatment is effective for treating TMJ disorder. For example, in one study, all the TMJ disorder patients reported a significant reduction in pain when treated by a chiropractor. On average, their pain scores dropped from 8.3 to 1.4 — a massive 81% reduction! These results are encouraging, and we hope to produce such results for every patient!
Ways to Prevent TMJ Disorder
Of course, the best way to prevent TMJ disorder is not getting it in the first place. You can lower your risk of TMJ disorder by taking a few simple steps:
- Maintain good posture: Use chairs with good back support, change your position frequently, and sit upright as much as possible.
- Sleep well: Sleep on your back and support your neck.
- Use cold or hot compresses: Use ice to alleviate swelling and pain and heat to improve blood flow.
- Reduce stress: Easier said than done, right? Try yoga and other relaxing activities.
- Exercise your jaw: Stretching and relaxation help with jaw mobility.
- Avoid chewing gum, hard foods, and taking large bites of food.
- Change bad habits like nail biting, grinding teeth, and biting lips.
Dr. Doerr is the Best Chiropractor in New Jersey for Treating TMJ Pain!
If you suspect you have TMJ disorder, visit us at Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center. Our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, has served the community for over 25 years with the most cutting-edge, evidence-based techniques to ease pain and bring your spine and jaw back into alignment. We will get you back to normal as quickly as possible!
If TMJ disorder symptoms do appear, we are just an appointment away. Access our contact form or call us at (201) 298-7179 or (201) 357-6539 to learn more about our chiropractic services! Our chiropractic offices at 532 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, and 62 Summit Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601 are ready to welcome you as we proudly serve New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, areas. Also, feel free to access our blog page and our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information on chiropractic treatments!
Oct 13, 2022 | General Chiropractic
You’ve been a parent for all of two months. Right now, you’re pacing the living room floor with your baby girl, Marie, in your arms. For the past hour or so, said baby has been screaming for all she’s worth. You checked all the obvious things — dirty diaper, hunger, needing a nap — but none of these is the problem. Unfortunately, this has been happening a lot lately. You’re spending several evenings a week pacing the floor, wondering what to do. You and your spouse have tried everything to comfort little Marie, but nothing works.
What you’re dealing with may be a case of colic, a painful ailment that affects babies. Unfortunately, little is known about what causes colic and how to cure a colicky baby. Your pediatrician may offer some medication to help your baby’s colics.
However, there is another, lesser-known option available: chiropractic treatment! Today’s article will discuss what colic is, how it’s usually treated, and how chiropractic treatments can provide solutions other methods can’t offer.
What is Colic?
Colic is defined by extensive bouts of intense crying in an otherwise perfectly healthy baby. More specifically, it’s when the baby cries for at least three hours a day, at least three days a week for at least three weeks. There is no apparent reason for this, so parents are often baffled and frustrated because their child is suffering, and they cannot make it better.
Most colic incidents happen between the ages of six weeks and four months. It’s estimated that between 10 and 20% of babies experience colic.
What are the Symptoms of a Colicky Baby?
A colicky baby may exhibit symptoms such as:
- Loud, inconsolable crying for no obvious reason;
- Tense body;
- Bloated abdomen;
- Gas.
There may also be fussiness after the crying is over and a reddened face from tension and crying. The crying bouts are often predictable, most likely happening late afternoon or early at night.
The exact cause of colic remains a mystery. There is some speculation that it may be a matter of:
- An underdeveloped digestive system;
- Food allergies;
- Over- or underfeeding;
- Stress and anxiety in the household.
Also, colic symptoms may be a sign of other illnesses, so a trip to the pediatrician is always a good idea to rule out other causes.
Treating Colic in Babies
Without a clear cause of colic available, it’s not easy to develop an effective treatment for it. Some doctors prescribe medication, such as dimethicone, which breaks up gas bubbles in the digestive system. Also, parents use a mix of water and herbs called Gripe Water as a home treatment. Unfortunately, within the practice of traditional medicine, there’s not much else to offer colicky babies and their stressed-out parents.
Chiropractic Solutions for Colic
Medical doctors don’t often recommend chiropractors for colic, and it’s not something that comes easily to mind for frustrated parents. However, research supports the use of spinal adjustment to effectively reduce colic symptoms. This includes a clinical trial published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, where 94% of parents reported improvements.
Another study of babies aged 2 to 14 weeks suggested a small positive effect of chiropractic care on infantile colic. A third study found that toddlers who, in the past, received chiropractic care for colic exhibited less negative behavior, such as tantrums, long-term.
Why Would Chiropractic Care Work for Colicky Babies?
Babies have incredibly flexible bodies, but they leave the comfort of the womb by squeezing, twisting, and rotating their way into the world. On the way through the birth canal, a great deal of force on the spine can easily throw it out of alignment, disrupting the proper working of the nervous system. As a result, some muscles are unbalanced, so they tighten or get overworked. Meanwhile, some nerves are compressed and lose a significant portion of their normal function. They may even create gas and bloating in the digestive system. This may be contributing to the baby’s colic.
Chiropractic Care Can Help Colicky Babies!
If you’ve ever seen chiropractic adjustments for adults, you may be alarmed at the thought of that much force applied to a tiny baby’s body.
But treatment for infants is much more gentle. Techniques are modified for babies’ more delicate and flexible physiology.
Adjustments consist of a small amount of gentle finger pressure on the spine, neck, and joints to bring vertebrae back into alignment. This approach reduces stress, restores normal range of motion, and eliminates pressure on the nervous system. Furthermore, it helps restore full function to the digestive and other body systems, alleviating colic symptoms.
Chiropractic care does not employ medication, so the baby is not subjected to any side effects of prescription drugs.
Here is an example of a chiropractic exam and treatment for a baby. As you will see, the touches are very soft and soothing. The chiropractor is careful not to cause the baby distress while providing effective manipulations. Also, the typical popping and cracking noises you hear with adults are absent.
Bring Your Colicky Baby to Bergen Chiropractic!
At the Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center, our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, will carefully ease your baby’s pain with a longer-term solution than traditional remedies. And we will help you realize that you do not need to feel so helpless and guilty. We follow the highest and most professional medical standards to provide superior chiropractic help. Our mission is to provide unparalleled patient care and services in a comfortable healing atmosphere. Access our contact form or call us at (201) 298-7179 or (201) 357-6539 to learn more about our chiropractic services! Our chiropractic offices at 532 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, and 62 Summit Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601 are ready to welcome you as we proudly serve New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, areas. Also, feel free to access our blog page and our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information on chiropractic treatments!
Oct 6, 2022 | General Chiropractic
Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows how difficult it can be. There are countless diets claiming to help with weight loss quickly and effortlessly, and there is a long list of exercises that someone insists will trim you down. There are even things that are supposed to get you into the right mindset to go through the weight loss process and products that tell you they will melt the calories like magic. It’s overwhelming!
Most experts will tell you that the solution is some combination of healthy eating and safe, effective exercise. But there’s one more thing that can add to the magic formula: chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractic services focus on the musculoskeletal system, aligning the spine and the body’s muscles, bones, joints, and supporting tissues. Chiropractors relieve pain and make the body more efficient in its normal functions and better able to heal itself. In addition, spinal column adjustments can make your body stronger and more capable of responding well to your weight loss methods.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can add chiropractic treatment to a weight loss plan and how the role it plays brings tremendous benefits to the weight loss process.
Can Going to the Chiropractor Make You Lose Weight Faster?
Making It Easier to Exercise
When your body is out of alignment, your spine is pressured, and muscles struggle to compensate for the imbalance. As a result, it hurts to move in specific ways. In addition, your range of motion may be limited in some areas, and your body has to use extra energy to keep it all together.
With all this going on, the thought of starting some weight loss exercise routine may be completely unappealing. If anything, chronic pain can lead to weight gain because you don’t want to exercise and aggravate what’s already hurting.
A chiropractic adjustment relieves the pain, aligns your spine, restores range of motion, and gives those strained muscles a break. You can move your body comfortably, as everything is back in its proper place. Your body is now pain-free and in a condition that supports the intense workouts you plan to take on. In a nutshell, chiropractic adjustments will help you burn more calories.
Speeding Up Your Metabolism
Some people have a slow metabolism. It seems that no matter what they do — how much or how little they eat, what they eat, how much water they drink, or how much they exercise — the weight just won’t come off in any significant way. With that slow metabolism, burning fat will take a lot more time and effort. A slower metabolism makes it easier to gain weight, too.
But as chiropractic spinal adjustments realign your body, the metabolism is one of many body systems that begin working more efficiently. As it speeds up, your workouts will become more efficient, which also helps increase your metabolism. It means more motivation to get up and get moving. And it means more calories burned.
The Brain and Body Connection
A successful weight loss journey depends on free-flowing communications between your brain and body. A chiropractor will examine your body for misalignments, which interfere with your central nervous system’s functions, making it harder for your brain to communicate with your body. Among other problems, this is what slows your metabolism down.
Misalignment also hinders the communication pathways that tell you when you are hungry or full. As a result, you don’t really know whether to eat more or stop eating. That certainly makes it harder to maintain your diet plan.
Chiropractic treatments reduce pressure on the central nervous system, helping you regain proper, free-flowing communication between the brain and body. It restores metabolism and other body systems, and you regain your ability to effectively regulate your food intake. As a result, you’re less likely to keep eating when you’re full.
A Holistic Approach
There is data supporting the notion that chiropractic treatment contributes to the weight loss process when combined with healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. While adjustments alone won’t help drop the weight, they will make the body more receptive to your excess weight loss efforts and make them more successful.
In addition to pain relief, one thing adjustments can help reduce is stress eating. Pain causes stress, making you more likely to reach for the comfort food — all the stuff that’s loaded with fat, sugar, and salt. It’s not at all good for you, and it most definitely will not contribute to your weight loss plan. But boy, does it taste good and make you forget the pain for just a little while!
With adjustments eliminating the pain and discomfort, you’re in a better mindset to make healthier food choices and leave the junk food alone. Chiropractic adjustments also reduce the need for pain medications, which are sometimes associated with weight gain.
Some chiropractors offer a chiropractic weight loss program that applies the natural treatment approach:
- Chiropractic adjustments to align the spine and restore full communication between brain and body;
- A healthy diet and supplements customized for the patient;
- Nutrition counseling;
- An exercise plan, also customized for the patient’s physical abilities and lifestyle.
As a part of your weight loss team, your chiropractor helps you lose weight and maintain your new, healthier weight long-term.
Weight Loss Help through Chiropractic Adjustments at Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center
Here at Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center, we routinely work with other healthcare practitioners and collaborate to benefit our mutual patients. We can provide the adjustments and the most effective chiropractic treatments that support a patient’s weight loss goals. We are here to help you live a longer, healthier life!
Our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, follows the highest and most professional medical standards to provide superior chiropractic help. Our mission is to provide unparalleled patient care and services in a comfortable healing atmosphere. Access our contact form or call us at (201) 298-7179 or (201) 357-6539 to learn more about our chiropractic services! Our chiropractic offices at 532 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, and 62 Summit Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601 are ready to welcome you as we proudly serve New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, areas. Also, feel free to access our blog page and our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information on chiropractic treatments!
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