One of the most common questions we get asked in the practice is “Why could babies need a check-up?”. To answer this question, we need to look at one of the biggest physical stressors that can affect an infant which is childbirth.
Birth injury, unless major and life threatening, is under-recognised and under-treated (Gottlieb, 1993). In a recent study of 200 infants presenting to a clinic with pain and other physiologic disturbance, 95% demonstrated notable birth trauma. In a much earlier and larger study of 1250 newborns, 89% showed some mechanical strain or restriction (Frymann, 1966). Many injuries including asymmetry of the head, facial asymmetry, torticollis, asymmetry of the mandible, nasal septum deviation and spinal, rib or clavicle dysfunction often go undetected until associated health problems arise. It is increasingly common for births to be assisted with vacuum extraction instruments or surgery (Kozak and Weeks, 2002). Vacuum extraction has been shown to be a strong predictor of early cessation of breastfeeding (Hall et al, 2002). Even under normal conditions, birth consists of significant traction and rotation of the baby’s head and with sufficient force, clavicle fracture is seen as an “unavoidable side effect” in up to 10% of vaginal births (Miller et al, 2013). Babies with mild injuries have a high rate of cessation of breastfeeding, however a study by Miller et al (2009) found that 79% of new mothers presenting with feeding problems were able to exclusively breastfeed after a short course of manual therapy. More research is needed here, however these are promising results. Aside from feeding issues that may be associated with birth trauma, there are some other really important cues to look for in babies to see if they may be experiencing pain:
So if you baby is exhibiting any of these behaviours, give our Practice a call today so we can screen for musculoskeletal issues and help support you and your baby thrive as they grow and develop. References
0 Comments
What are they?
Magnesium, zinc are very important minerals and B6 is a water soluble vitamin. What are they good for? B6 - helps liver detox, helps normal brain function, helps nervous system, can help with pregnancy nausea, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Zinc - helps liver detox, immune function, wound healing, creation of DNA, growth of cells and is necessary for almost 100 enzymes to carry out vital chemical reactions in the body. Magnesium - helps liver detoxification, helps with alleviating effects of stress, electrical conductivity of nerves, regulation of blood pressure and other cardiovascular processes, muscle contraction, maintenance of hormones, essential vitamin formation, glucose and energy metabolism, neurotransmitter production, brain function, digestion, cell division, maintenance of bones, migraines, depression, type 2 diabetes. What foods are they high in? B6: Beef liver, tuna, salmon, chickpeas, poultry, dark leafy greens, bananas, papayas, oranges, cantaloupe Zinc: Shellfish: oysters, crab, lobster, beef, poultry, pork, legumes, nuts, seeds Magnesium: Almonds, peanuts, cashews, Pumpkin seeds, Peanut butter, Beans (black, kidney), Soybeans, soymilk, Cooked spinach, Swiss chard, White potato with skin, Brown rice, Salmon, Beef, Poultry, Banana, Raisins What should I do next? Talk to the team at sprouting health about what's important for your body. References: The Nutrition Code. Suzzane Labrie 2017. The Nutrition Source. Havard. 2023. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ When we experience back pain, it can be hard to understand where the pain is coming from – whether it be a disc, a joint, or your muscles! However, most people do not know that our back pain can also be a result of our gut inflammation!
Gut inflammation can occur for several reasons, but a lot of the time it can be due to an imbalance of certain bacteria, fungi, viruses or more! For example, the Candida Albicans fungi can overgrow in our intestines when our gut microbiota is not intact. Your gut works hard to keep you healthy, so we must work hard to keep our gut healthy! Gut bloating, belching, passing gas, heartburn, intestinal pain, constipation and/or diarrhea are all symptoms of gut inflammation which can ultimately affect our pain levels that present in our back and even our hips! When our body is in “fight or flight” for extended periods of time, our digestion shuts down because your body is under stress and is focusing on keeping you alive, therefore your digestion isn’t an immediate concern. When our digestion capability is compromised, it is important to try and encourage it to be better in any way that we can – this means feeding it food and nutrients that it likes and can re-create an effective microbiome. Research shows you may experience less low back pain when you limit: Alcohol, caffeine, simple sugars, refined foods, fried foods, gluten, and dairy. Proper nutrition cannot eliminate all pain, especially among patients with chronic pain and inflammation, but it is a great place to start. A healthy diet and a healthy gut can help your body reduce inflammation substantially. When combining a healthy diet with chiropractic care, you are giving your nervous system the best chance to thrive and have proper function restored. We want to remove the interference to the body’s natural processes. Combining a healthy diet with a chiropractic care management plan, proper hydration, exercise, and stress reduction is a fantastic way to help lower inflammation in your body and gut. References: https://www.physicaltherapystudiocity.com/post/gut-and-back-pain Low back pain is one of the most important cause of disability globally (1), and is responsible for vast societal impact (2). Although the majority of low back pain complaints are recommended to be managed conservatively, rates of surgical intervention for lower back pain and its associated disorders continue to rise globally (3). Do you or a loved one experience low back pain? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.
“Over a 10 year period (2004-2015) spinal surgery increased by 190% in Asia (4)” Persistent spinal pain syndrome is a term that defines chronic or recurrent pain of spinal origin, and it is divided into 2 types. Type 1 being without previous surgery and type 2 are patients who have had previous relevant surgery, with type 2 affecting 20-40% of patients who have had spine surgery (5). Having had surgery for the lower back and being still in pain, are there other options for patients to seek for help in managing back pain? Is chiropractic safe and effective for patients who have had spinal surgeries? In a recent research literature, 31 adults with persistent spinal pain syndrome type 2 who have received chiropractic care were retrospectively reviewed. Looking at baseline and follow up data on their Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Oswestry Disability Index. It was found that for the 31 adults looked at, improvements were observed with chiropractic care, which was seen to be more effective in patients who were younger, had a shorter duration of symptoms and/or had a higher level of pain or disability before treatment (6). Though a larger sample size of patients would help further substantiate these observations, indications are positive for chiropractic care being safe and effective to help patients manage lower back pain/s that are still experienced after surgical procedure. If you want to find out if chiropractic may help manage low back pain for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist. “Prevention is better than cure, though it is never too late to start your health journey” 1.Hartvigsen J, Hancock MJ, Kongsted A, et al. What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. Lancet 2018;391:2356–67. 2. Dagenais, S., Caro, J. and Haldeman, S., 2008. A systematic review of low back pain cost of illness studies in the United States and internationally. The spine journal, 8(1), pp.8-20. 3. Yap, Z.L., Summers, S.J., Grant, A.R., Moseley, G.L. and Karran, E.L., 2022. The role of the social determinants of health in outcomes of surgery for low back pain: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. The Spine Journal, 22(5), pp.793-809. 4. Kobayashi, K., Ando, K., Nishida, Y., Ishiguro, N. and Imagama, S., 2018. Epidemiological trends in spine surgery over 10 years in a multicenter database. European Spine Journal, 27, pp.1698-1703. 5. Christelis, N., Simpson, B., Russo, M., Stanton-Hicks, M., Barolat, G., Thomson, S., Schug, S., Baron, R., Buchser, E., Carr, D.B. and Deer, T.R., 2021. Persistent spinal pain syndrome: a proposal for failed back surgery syndrome and ICD-11. Pain Medicine, 22(4), pp.807-818. 6. Chu, E.C.P. and Trager, R.J., 2022. Effectiveness of multimodal chiropractic care featuring spinal manipulation for persistent spinal pain syndrome following lumbar spine surgery: retrospective chart review of 31 adults in Hong Kong. Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research, 28, pp.e937640-1. Restless Leg Syndrome is a nervous system disorder characterised by the uncontrollable urge to move the legs. This is a widely common condition that affects millions of people worldwide, negatively impacting quality of life and significantly creating sleep disturbances 1. In conjunction with the irrepressible urge to move the legs, restless leg syndrome is usually accompanied with sensations such as itching, tingling, and crawling. Symptoms tend to worsen during long periods of inactivity or at night.
Chiropractic care focuses on promoting musculoskeletal and nervous system health through numerous techniques and methods. Chiropractic care can help manage symptoms associated with restless leg syndrome through:
References:
Lower back pain has always been a hot topic in clinical settings. The statistic shows 80% of the population will experience lower back pain at some point in their life.(1) This includes muscle spasms and minor muscle tear injuries to the more debilitating condition such as disc herniation. Knowing the prevalence of lower back pain is undeniably high, it would make sense to know how injuries can happened, and who is more likely to hurt themselves.
Over the past few decades, researchers have learnt the spine is extremely robust, combining vertebrae and intervertebral disc (IVD), it allows us to perform different activities such as walking, jumping, lifting and other occupational work. Yet, injuries can happen when the loading is greater than what our spine can handle, especially during compression, axial rotation, flexion and continuous loading.(2) A few different studies were performed over time, aiming to find out what postures would put our spine, more specifically lumbar spine, into the most vulnerable position to injuries.(3) The top 3 highest loading to lumbar spine are lifting with knees straight, followed by lifting with arms extended(load away from centre of gravity), and lifting in squat or sitting position.(3) Our hardworking tradesman or labour workers are higher at risk, however simple tasks like picking up a coin, using the whipper snipper, cleaning or reaching to your kids at the back seat, can equally put yourself at risk! The top 3 least loading activities to lumbar spine are lying down flat, siting and standing up right without extra load.(3) These positions are generally the most comfortable and best for recovery for patients who suffer from acute disc injuries. Just because numbers don’t lie, there’s more! The incidence of a herniated disc is about 5 to 20 cases per 1000 adults annually and is most common in people in their third to the fifth decade of life, with a male to female ratio of 2:1.(1) That means men in their 30s to 50s are the most at risk of a disc herniation injury. At sprouting health, we believe spinal health is way far beyond the absence of pain. Check out our previous blogs to discover more about how spinal health can positively affect hand grip strength, proprioception and balance. If you or your loved ones are suffering from back pain, please don’t hesitate to speak to one of our chiropractors to see how we can help manage your concerns. References 1. Al Qaraghli MI DJO. Lumbar Disc Herniation StatPearls [Internet]: Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 [updated 2023 Feb 12. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560878/. 2. Desmoulin GT, Pradhan V, Milner TE. Mechanical aspects of intervertebral disc injury and implications on biomechanics. Spine. 2020;45(8):E457-E64. 3. Bassani T, Stucovitz E, Qian Z, Briguglio M, Galbusera F. Validation of the AnyBody full body musculoskeletal model in computing lumbar spine loads at L4L5 level. Journal of biomechanics. 2017;58:89-96. Unfortunately for many, inflammation is a part of everyday life. Like we discuss here at Sprouting Health, inflammation can increase if we are not physically, chemically, and emotionally balanced. So, what are some signs of chronic inflammation? And how can we lower these inflammation levels naturally?
Signs of chronic inflammation include balance problems, insulin resistance or high blood sugar, muscle weakness, diarrhea, low back pain, fatigue, brain fog, blood clots, memory problems, and many more! Some people may equate these things as to just a matter of stress – but we must remember, these symptoms are not normal! The good news is, that people everywhere are starting to learn that the best way to reduce inflammation comes from what is inside our refrigerator, not just things we are picking up at the chemist. When our immune system identifies a foreign object (like a chemical – food, fluid, plant, etc.) in our body, the inflammation process begins. Although inflammation can be a good sign that our body is working hard to defend us against harmful chemicals or foreign objects, sometimes inflammation can persist and over time can contribute to the development of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s. Many experimental studies have shown that components of food or beverage may have anti-inflammatory effects and if you choose the right anti-inflammatory foods for your body, you may be able to substantially lower the risk of illness. The more anti-inflammatory and healthy foods that we put in our body, the better we will feel for longer periods of time. Particularly, fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, apples, and most importantly, leafy greens, will help contribute to lower inflammation levels and ensure you are full of antioxidants and other protective substances. Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health says that some inflammatory foods like refined sugar, gluten and dairy can cause excess inflammation in our brains and bodies and can be a contributor to the development of chronic health diseases in the general population. Dr. Hu also states that a healthy diet is beneficial not only for reducing risk of chronic disease, but also for mood improvement, function in daily living, and quality of life. 1. Harvard Health Publishing. Foods that fight inflammation [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 21]. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation#:~:text=Anti%2Dinflammatory%20foods,-An%20anti%2Dinflammatory&text=green%20leafy%20vegetables%2C%20such%20as,%2C%20blueberries%2C%20cherries%2C%20and%20oranges A Window into Health and Wellbeing - HRV
In the realm of health and well-being, a small but mighty metric known as heart rate variability (HRV) has gained increasing attention. Once overshadowed by traditional heart rate measurements, HRV has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding the intricate workings of our cardiovascular system and unlocking valuable insights into overall health. Did you know having a lower heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD)? HRV is a measurement of the time intervals between adjacent heartbeats. These variations are influenced by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, breathing, and digestion. The variability in your heart rate reflects vagal tone and our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Low HRV leads to sympathetic (fight or flight response) and vagal tone imbalance. The vagus nerve plays an important role in the regulation of our metabolic homeostasis and messages sent by the vagus nerve can control immune function and pro-inflammatory responses via the inflammatory reflex[1]. HRV serves as a window into the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the ANS. High HRV indicates a flexible and adaptive system, while low HRV suggests reduced adaptability and potential health issues. Recent studies have reported using HRV in the evaluation of conditions associated with autonomic dysregulation which includes burnout and depression, autoimmune conditions (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis), chronic PTSD, working memory performance, cognition, dementia, insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes, type 1 diabetes, cancer prognosis, and cardiovascular disease risk factors[2]. HRV can be a valuable marker of stress and emotional well-being. When we experience stress, our ANS responds by decreasing HRV. Monitoring HRV patterns can help individuals identify stress triggers and implement appropriate stress management techniques. Research suggests that HRV holds predictive power for a variety of health conditions. Reduced HRV has been associated with cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, depression, and even mortality. Long-term HRV analysis may aid in identifying individuals at higher risk and enable preventive measures. Monitoring your heart rate variability is one of the many ways we assess your health at Sprouting Health. Give us a call if you would like to get yours assessed today. [1] Pavlov, V. A., & Tracey, K. J. (2012). The vagus nerve and the inflammatory reflex—linking immunity and metabolism. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 8(12), 743. [2] Kent, C. (2017). Heart rate variability to assess the changes in autonomic nervous system function associated with vertebral subluxation. Res Rev Neurosci, 1, 14-21. |
AuthorBlogs by the team at Sprouting Health Archives
April 2024
Categories |