Returning To A Normal Life

 

For many of us, the past few months have been spent in the comfort of our homes. Away from work, friends and family, at a much slower pace than before. But, with restrictions beginning to tentatively lift, some people may be feeling a little anxious about returning to normal life.

Lockdown has been difficult on our bodies, both physically and mentally. That's why at Family First Chiropractic, are doing everything possible to support people who are struggling. This is the time to focus on our health and come out of lockdown fitter than before. Here are some tips on how to navigate through this season of change:

Maintain new-found good habits

We all had the opportunity to break the cycle, adopt new habits, behaviors, learn a new skill or take up a hobby during lockdown. As we start to return to normal, life will get busy again. Then again taking care of your health is usually the bottom of the priority list. Lets try to maintain some of the positive habits from lockdown, whether that's exercising or cooking healthy meals at home, keep your health priority, and you will reap the rewards in the long-term. 

Listening to and honoring your body

Prioritize what's best for your body. Embrace rest days and gentle movement. Keep going on walks, take breaks from work to stretch for 10 minutes and try to end most nights with a gentle yoga flow. It's important to listen to your body and give it what it needs. Your body will thank you for it, especially when the world returns to its usual hustle and bustle. 

Meeting family and friends

Meeting loved ones we haven’t seen for weeks, except virtually, is likely to be the first thing many of us will want to do. Make the most of this opportunity to spend more time than ever with friends and family, and value it. Continue to love, appreciate and embrace the great outdoors, meet up for walks and bike rides.

Getting life back on track

Getting our lives back on track after lockdown will be both exciting and daunting for many of us. While we will find ourselves needing to embrace new ways of living and working, it’s important to stay positive and view the lifting of lockdown as one step on the road back to how we wish to live.

Remember, for you to be your best self with your family, friends and work during a time like this, you need to take care of number one. It's difficult to embrace lockdown restrictions being lifted if you are tired, in pain or unable to focus. 

At Family First our aim is to make a meaningful and lasting impact on your health and quality of life by relieving you of pain and enabling you to live your life to it’s fullest. We believe in natural healing and the body's ability to heal itself. By gently realigning your spine over time and thereby reconnecting and maintaining the integrity of your nervous system, healing takes place. 

Our goal is to get you feeling and moving better as quickly as possible, by fixing whatever is causing your pain, so that you can get back to doing the things you want or need to do.

Relieve pain. Live life to the full. 

Dr. Elton Clemence is a Chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, located at 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer AB. www.family1stchiro.ca 403-3473261 to book an appointment.

Common Myths About Chiropractic Treatment.

 Common Myths About Chiropractic Treatment:

Many Canadians have questions about the role that chiropractors play in the healthcare team, and what benefits chiropractic care has on their health. We will go through some common myths in this regard.

1. Once you see a chiropractor you have to keep going back This is false. When seeking care from a chiropractor, we will perform an assessment including a history and physical examination to determine the cause of the pain or dysfunction. From these observations, a diagnosis will be made and the treatment plan developed in collaboration with the patient – according to their needs and goals. The treatment plan will recommend a number of initial visits to remedy the patient’s symptoms/ pain and scheduled re-evaluations as necessary.. Depending on the patient and the condition, the recommended course of care may vary. Ultimately, the decision to continue care is yours. As a patient, if you have questions or concerns about care, you should feel comfortable to ask the chiropractor for more information on the recommendations made and address any concerns. The care plan should be part of a shared decision-making between the patient and practitioner.

2. Chiropractors are not ‘real’ doctors

Chiropractors are regulated in all 10 Canadian provinces, and are designated to use the title “doctor” similar to physicians, optometrists and dentists after completing the extensive Doctor of Chiropractic degree program. Those professions who are recognized to use the “doctor” title have extensive training in their area of expertise that allows them to be diagnosticians – to provide a diagnosis.

3. A medical doctor must refer you to a chiropractor In all provinces in Canada, chiropractors are primary contact providers, which means you can access them directly. Due to the extensive training of chiropractors as diagnosticians, chiropractors will perform a comprehensive assessment to help determine a diagnosis or clinical impressions. Depending on the outcome, the chiropractor can discuss a course of care or refer to another healthcare professional, as needed.

4. There is no evidence to support the effectiveness of chiropractic care Chiropractic treatment is at times questioned on its effectiveness. Yet, the chiropractic profession and others have invested significant resources to build a robust body of evidence studying the impact of manual therapies on musculoskeletal conditions. Spinal and joint manipulation has been shown to be effective treatment for acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, like back pain. In fact, spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is recommended as first line intervention for back pain in numerous clinical practice guidelines including the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force,, the American College of Physicians and American Pain Society, as well as Britain’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Utilizing chiropractic treatment as opposed to medications like opioids for pain can be beneficial.

5. Chiropractors can only treat back pain Chiropractors are musculoskeletal experts and are trained in assessing, diagnosing, treating and preventing biomechanical disorders that originate from the muscular, skeletal and nervous system. In addition to the evidence that supports chiropractic care in managing musculoskeletal complaints of the spine, there is also evidence that it supports chiropractic management of the extremities, headaches and even TMJ pain. Chiropractors are also able to provide lifestyle counselling about nutrition, fitness and ergonomics among others that may be useful in managing or preventing a variety of health conditions. The health of your musculoskeletal system doesn’t just start with a healthy spine, you need to be fully aware of your health to maintain a well-rounded healthy lifestyle!

6. Adjustments are painful

In general, adjustments or joint manipulations do not hurt. In fact, many patients report immediate pain relief after chiropractic treatment.. Patients may be nervous about the ‘cracking’ or popping sound that may occur during an adjustment. The sound results from the release of gas from the joint – this is a normal part of the adjustment and is perfectly safe.

Asking questions about your health and treatment options is very important. You are a partner in your care and your participation is critical to helping us provide the best care to meet your health goals.

If someone you know needs chiropractic care for pain relief or just to function better, pass this along to them.

Don’t put things off until they worsen. Take care of your body now and discover how chiropractic can help you.

Dr. Stephen Kelly

Family First Chiropractic 403-347-3261

Do you have headaches coming from your neck?

People search out chiropractic care for headaches as a viable treatment. There can be many types of headaches including cervicogenic, suboccipital, tension, and lesion headaches to name a few. To determine what type of headache a person may have a thorough history and examination is needed, imaging may also be needed to help determine the origin of the headache.

Cervicogenic headache is referred type of pain perceived in the head from a source in the neck. In the case of cervicogenic headache, the cause is a disorder of the cervical spine and its component bone, disc and/or soft tissue and connective tissue elements.

Numerous pain-sensitive structures exist in the upper neck and back of head.

The term cervicogenic headache is commonly misused and does not simply apply to a headache associated with neck pain; many headache disorders, including migraine and tension-type headache, can have associated neck pain/tension. There must be evidence of a disorder or lesion within the cervical spine or soft tissues of the neck, known to be able to cause headache.

Cervical spondylosis (age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in your neck) may be a cause of cervicogenic headache.

Symptoms of a cervicogenic headache include:

•     Reduced neck range of motion
•   Headache may worsen with movements
• · Often one sided
• ·  May radiate to behind the eye
• ·  May of may not be associated with neck pain

.People suspected of having cervicogenic headache should be carefully examined to exclude other primary (migraine, tension-type) or secondary (vessel dissection, posterior fossa lesions) causes of headaches.

Treatment for cervicogenic headache should target the cause of the pain in the neck and varies depending on what works best for the individual patient. Gentle precise chiropractic adjustments with rehabilitation exercises and stretches will greatly reduce theses types of headaches.

Dr. Joelle Johnson practices at Family First Chiropractic and wellness 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, T4R 2C3 www.family1stchiro.ca. 403-347-3261

Arthritis and Joint Pain

350 million people worldwide are affected by arthritis. Painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints are common side effects. Arthritis can affects both young and elderly people. The most common form, osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis is usually caused by repetitive joint trauma and more common in the elderly. Other forms such as Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis are a form of an autoimmune disease found in the younger population ranging from 30-60yrs of age.

How can you manage arthritis?

 

Weight bearing exercise can help reduce the pain and stiffness of arthritis because it maintains mobility and keeps muscles strong enough to support joints. A balanced diet and a healthy weight are also vital, as well as is learning proper biomechanics. Helps patients avoid putting too much pressure on them. And when used alongside conventional medicines, complementary therapies such as chiropractic can be enormously beneficial in relieving the pain of arthritis. Whatever type of arthritis you're dealing with, you might well be relying on pain relief medication to function from day to day. But long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) are worth noting. Studies show side effects can range from Kidney damage, Liver damage and heart disease.

 

Chiropractic: holistic pain relief

 

     With regular Chiropractic treatment, you can take the edge off your pain, and increase mobility making life more manageability. Increased joint mobility, enables patients to enjoy their favourite activities with less restriction. In fact, according to William Lauretti, DC, professor at New York Chiropractic College, chiropractic patients with arthritis often improve without the need for pain medications.

One study, conducted in 2013 and published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, the official journal of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International, actually found that 12 chiropractic treatments in combination with a patient education program were more effective for hip osteoarthritis than a daily stretching program or patient education alone. And in 2010, a British analysis of nearly 100 studies found that chiropractic manipulation was helpful for a variety of conditions, including knee osteoarthritis.

How does chiropractic work to ease arthritis?

 

If the structure of a joint is not right, it’s unable to work as it is supposed to. This is where chiropractic shines by maximising the function of an arthritic joint. The resulting in decreased pain and better ability to cope in everyday activities.

At Family First, your chiropractor will take a detailed medical history, including a physical examination of every joint and X-rays if necessary. In this way, we will develop a treatment approach that is specific to your issues, always taking the time and care to listen to your concerns and how your arthritis is affecting your life.

Other treatment protocols such as ultrasound or muscle stim. In addition to chiropractic care can also be used to manage joint inflammation and mobility.

The help of a personalised treatment plan that includes lifestyle changes, you can find freedom from pain and retain more mobility and independence. Elderly people can perform their daily activity, younger people can stay active at work, meet the physical demands of looking after young children, and of course have the energy and ability to enjoy their hobbies.

If you have any questions feel free to email Dr. Elton Clemence at the clinic at www.family1stchiro.ca or call us at 403-3473261 for consultation and to set up a time to have your spine and nervous system checked.

 

Supportive/ Maintenance Treatment Works!

A paper presented at the European Chiropractors' Union (ECU) convention earlier this year underscores the advantages of regular chiropractic care. The authors, looked at how chiropractic maintenance care (MC) could prevent new episodes of nonspecific low back pain or minimize its impact. The purpose of their study was to "investigate the effect of MC as compared to symptomatic treatment on reducing recurrent and persistent LBP."

The multi-center, randomized clinical trial was conducted in Sweden, with patients provided with either treatment at regular intervals, regardless of symptoms (MC), or symptomatic treatment whereby patients were treated only when consulting for pain. The MC group was provided with chiropractic care at one- to three-month intervals.

This is an altogether familiar scenario, in that most patients only go for chiropractic care when they are in pain or when something is bothering them. Unfortunately, by the time a patient recognizes their pain, the problem may have been there for some time and damage has been done.  If only they would visit their chiropractor periodically, regardless of symptoms, a point study results make glaringly clear:

"The MC group consisted of 163 subjects who reported 19.3 fewer days with bothersome LBP over the 12 month follow-up compared to the 154 subjects in the control group. The MC group had an average of 7 visits during the study, compared to 5 visits in the control group."

Let's Do the Math

So, here's the math for the average patient. Two extra visits to your chiropractor each year will result in almost 20 extra days without back pain. For me, that works out to about $4 per pain-free day ... I'll take it!

While monthly chiropractic care can be very beneficial, it is clear that most people should be seeing their doctor of chiropractic at least every two months or so. We all need to understand a little regular scheduling could significantly improve our quality of life. Imagine how many days of pain could be eliminated if everyone enjoyed chiropractic at least every two months.

For my whole career I have emphasized regular treatments and not chase pain. Don’t wait for small problems to become big ones. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is supported by these types of studies.

To schedule your first appointment or a maintenance treatment, please contact Family First Chiropractic and Wellness.

Dr. Stephen Kelly is a Chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness with over 15 years of experience, located In Red Deer, AB 142 Erickson Dr., www.family1stchiro.ca

403-347-3261 to book an appointment. 

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

 Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common of the “entrapment neuropathies”—compression or trauma of the body’s nerves in the extremities and the cause of patients loses in medical bill and time off work.

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition involving the median nerve. The median nerve originates in the cervical spine and runs into the forearm then the hand. If the median nerve were to get compressed somewhere along the nerve path CTS occurs. It is commonly thought that the nerve only gets trapped at the carpal ligament. This is a narrow tunnel at the wrist made up of bones and soft tissues, such as nerves, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. However, the nerve can also become impinged in the neck, elbow, or forearm. This could be a reason why all carpal tunnel surgeries sometimes don’t get the results as expected. The compression may result in pain, weakness, and/or numbness in the hand and wrist, which radiates up into the forearm. CTS is the most common of the “entrapment neuropathies”—compression or trauma of the body’s nerves in the extremities.

 Patient’s experience burning, tingling, itching, and/or numbness in the palm of the hand, thumb, index, and middle fingers. These are the most common symptoms. Since many people sleep with wrists flexed. Symptoms often first appear while sleeping. As symptoms progress, they may feel tingling during the day. In addition, weakened grip strength may make it difficult to form a fist or grasp small objects. Some people muscle atrophy at the base of the thumb, and are unable to distinguish hot from cold by touch. Usually occurs in adults, with women 3 times more likely to develop it than men. The dominant hand is usually affected first, and the pain is typically severe. CTS is common in assembly-line workers in manufacturing, sewing, finishing, cleaning, meatpacking, and similar industries, as well as pregnant women.

In addition patients that have smaller carpal tunnels than others, which makes the median nerve compression more likely. CTS can also develop because of an injury to the wrist that causes swelling. Over activity of the pituitary gland, hypothyroidism, diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, mechanical problems in the wrist joint, poor work ergonomics, repeated use of vibrating hand tools, and fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause. All of which could cause CTS.

CTS should be diagnosed and treated early. A Chiropractic examination of the hands, arms, shoulders, and neck can help determine if your symptoms are related to daily activities or to an underlying structural disorder. Doctors of Chiropractic are able to use other specific tests to try to reproduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Chiropractic adjustments of the spine and extremities where the nerve pressure occurring is the treatment of choice. Other recommendations include stretching and strengthening exercises soft tissue mobilization techniques, resting the affected hand or wrist. Immobilization of the wrist through a splint and applying cold packs to reduce swelling due to inflammation is also recommended. Proper posture and movement as instructed by your doctor of chiropractic can help prevent CTS recurrences. For the majority of carpal tunnel cases come into Family First. If you or someone you know is suffering from CTS, feel free to email the clinic at www.family1stchiro.ca or call us at 403-347-3261 for consultation and to set up a time to have your spine and nervous system checked.

Dr. Elton Clemence is a Chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, located In Red Deer, AB 142 Erickson Dr ,www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261 to book an appointment.

Christmas and Chiropractic

 Christmas and Chiropractic

It’s that special time of year again – the Christmas season! The month of December is busy with holidays, family and church gatherings, shopping, winter sports, leisurely activities and so much more. In order to enjoy the holiday season, there are several things that you can do to make it even more enjoyable.

Shopping – Some presents can be large, heavy and awkward to carry. Use proper lifting techniques such as lifting from your legs to avoid a back injury. Be careful while walking through icy parking lots on your way to your car.

Winter sports – Skating and tobogganing are great forms of winter activities that are fun and good for you. Ensure that you are wearing a helmet to protect your head in the event of a fall while skating or falling off your sled. Whiplash effects can happen in these sports from even a minor fall so be sure to get adjusted soon after.

Family gatherings – Overeating and too much consumption of alcohol can happen easily. Be sure that you are consuming plenty of water to stay hydrated. Try not to eat too much during the holidays to avoid weight gain.

For some people, depression or anxiety may occur during the Christmas holidays. Be sure to take time for yourself to relieve your stress to avoid subluxation of your spine.

Ensure that you have proper rest during the holiday season. Functions and family gatherings including travel may cause stress on your body and spine so ensure that you have adequate sleep during this time.

Get adjusted. See your chiropractor to get realigned this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas to you and your family from all of us at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness here in Red Deer! www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261

Text Neck

Text Neck

The act of holding your head flexed and forward while looking down at your handheld device and/or laptop screen places your cervical spine in a tenuous position.  Our neck normally has a forward lordotic curve. This curve is straightened with prolonged forward head posture. Over long periods of time, maintaining this head-forward posture can lead to muscle strain, disc injury, nerve impingement and arthritic changes of the neck. This increases the potential for developing ongoing neck and shoulder pain, headaches, and pain radiating down the arms.

For every one inch of forward head posture away from neutral the weight of your head increases by 100% or 10lbs. The more your neck has gone forward, the more weight it has to carry. This disorder is associated with chronic headaches, shoulder and neck pain. Medical research has also uncovered evidence of related early onset arthritis and even decrease lung capacity. Try this for yourself. Have your head over your shoulders, take a deep breath. Put your head forward and try that same deep breath. It was harder to take the deep breath with the head forward wasn’t it!

The original term was "text neck"—the new term “tech neck” highlights the fact that it's not just texting anymore—almost all the time we spend looking at any screen has the potential for damaging the neck.

Exercises can help improve your posture, strengthen your neck and create better habits for everyday life. To avoid developing degenerative neck changes due to posture, here are several simple steps you can start today.

Set time limits. Limit the amount of time and frequency that you use your device. If you have to use it for an extended period of time, take breaks. Develop a habit of taking a three-minute break for every 15-20 minutes you use your device. Change your posture and move around.

Set automatic reminders. Utilize an automatic alarm with your smart device reminding you to take a time out

Use a tablet holder. Purchase a holder to elevate your device to significantly reduce the amount of neck flexion and forward positioning. Try to keep the device as close to eye-level as possible.

Sit in a chair with a headrest. Switch to a chair with a headrest, and make sure to keep the back of your head in contact with the headrest while using your tablet, phone or laptop. Keeping the back of your head flush against the headrest will ensure that you're not looking down with your neck flexed forward.

Use pain as a warning. If you're experiencing pain in your neck, between the shoulder blades, numbness or tingling in the arms, or frequent headaches there may be a more serious issue going on. Pay attention to these warning signs and act quickly to make changes to reduce or eliminate any head-forward posture that is straining your neck.

Chiropractic treatment is the best option for these issues. If you are having symptoms or just want to check if you or your children have this problem, book an appointment.

As a general rule, the sooner you seek treatment the more likely it is that you'll have success in treating the problem.

Dr. Stephen Kelly D.C.

Dr. Kelly practices at Family First Chiropractic located at 142 Erickson drive in Red Deer. Call us today to book an appointment (403)347-3261 or visit us at www.family1stchiro.ca

Why should I have CranioSacral Therapy?

Why should I have CranioSacral Therapy?

All of our lives are very busy.  We do not have a lot of time for others, much less ourselves. Here are some good reasons to find the time for ourselves to heal and to start to enjoy our life more.  

1. Some people come because they feel as though they aren’t coping and that life is very difficult. CranioSacral Therapy can often be a last resort after many years of struggle.

          2.      Some people come because they have long standing health issues which make it very difficult to cope.           CranioSacral Therapy can help relieve the emotional and physical side-effects of living with long term             illness or pain and can support the body in its natural movement towards health

3. Some people come because they have experienced traumatic events that they cannot move past. CranioSacral Therapy is a very safe, gentle and effective way of treating trauma and post-traumatic states.
4. Some people come because they are incredibly stressed and anxious and can’t seem to find any relief from a very busy mind. CranioSacral Therapy is especially good at encouraging a very deep sense of stillness allowing the mind slow down and rest. Many people say they sleep very well after a craniosacral treatment.
5. Some people come because they just need to be held and listened to. The most important thing a CranioSacral Therapist does is to simply be present for the client and hold the therapeutic space allowing the client’s process to unfold naturally.

Jeanette works at the clinic at 142 Erickson Drive Wednesday evenings and Saturdays. Give us a call to book your appointment (403)347-3261 or visit our website to learn more www.family1stchiro.ca

Job Description of a Pediatric Chiropractor

  

Job Description of a Pediatric Chiropractor

I have been a Pediatric Chiropractor for the past 15 years, I am a mother of 3 boys and I LOVE everyday of it. Oftern we will have some unique experience dealing with the toddler, kids babies , and parents that make each day unique and amazing. Patients comment often they are not sure how I deal with all the chaos each day, but honestly I love every minute of it. Seeing these little tiny humans grow, learn, develop and blossom into little people is a daily blessing. Seeing how their little minds work, and grow is a miracle. Here is a little spoof on my daily life at our clinic Family First Chiropractic and Wellness:

1.      Must know how to baby and toddler wrangle/wrestle while adjusting them often in awkward positions on the floor or table

2.      Be able to speak toddle-ease – aka toddler language fluently- the garbled words make sense to them!

3.      Can adjust while stepping on toys, trains, trucks, sippy cups, crackers, treats , dollies and 4 (or more)children playing etc at your feet

4.      Be comfortable with wiping noses, fingers, hands  and other areas of children other than mine

5.      I often do not leave work with clean clothes or hair- I often have baby or toddler “schmutz” somewhere on my clothing

6.      Has a ‘Bachelor of Science Degree’ in toddler negotiations

7.      Has a massive supplies of stickers in all cartoon categories- including Frozen, Sponge Bob, Deigo, Dora, Thomas the train, Minions, Cars, Princess and many many more

8.      Know all of the Disney movies by heart- and are able to quote them

9.      Know every superhero, caped avenger and turtle out there!

10.  Know and name all the Disney princess characters

11.  Have a direct phone line to Santa in the back office

12.  Answer to many different names- Dr. Bones, Dr. Tickles, Dr. Popcorn, Dr. Wiggles and giggles

13.  Know how to adjust the sleep, poop, and attitude ‘buttons’

14.  Have the pleasure of baby cuddles, toddler hugs, blown kisses and fist pumps daily

Dr. Joelle Johnson practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca

403-347-3261   

Shoveling and Your Back

Snow Shoveling and Your Back

The winter season brings with it snow that we can enjoy activities such as skiing, snowmobiling, or making snowmen just to name a few. There are also activities that we don’t enjoy so much particularly when the weather is cold such as shoveling snow off our sidewalks and driveways. The weight of the snow and the cold weather can cause back problems and sore muscles.

There are a few things that we can do to help prevent or reduce the stress on our back and bodies when shoveling snow.

-      Stretch lightly before going outside

-      Use a shovel that you can handle easily

-      Don’t lift too much snow

-      Push the snow rather than lifting and carrying the snow

-      Take a break and catch your breath as needed

-      If you have a large area to do, do some now and some later

-      Keep your spine aligned by visiting your friendly chiropractor at our clinic

We are available Monday to Saturday at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness. Call us at 403-347-3261

Text Neck

Overuse of Smartphone’s can cause slipped discs

By: Dr. Stephen Kelly

With smartphone’s gaining popularity among South Koreans since 2010, an escalating number of youngsters, mostly in their twenties, are beginning to suffer the consequences.

According to the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation, the number of patients with cervical disc herniation (or slipped disc) has increased from 573,912 in 2007 to 784,121 in 2011. Out of 100,000 patients, 7.6 percent of them are in their twenties.

Most people look down when using their mobile devices. This posture adds a strain to the neck and causes cervical disc herniation. Whilst a human head weighs approximately 10 pounds (4.5kg), staring at a phone with your head tilted forward will feel more akin to a 20-30 pound (9kg to 13.6kg) load. A significant problem for the discs in your neck!

This study was done in Korea but this is a nearly worldwide problem. Chiropractic intervention can help “text neck” by realigning vertebrae and proving proper stretching/ rehabilitation exercises.

Cervical disc herniation isn't the only problem exacerbated by over use of Smartphone’s. Youngsters also spend less time exercising which has resulted in an increase in obesity and diabetes.

If you are one of those who like to spend hours chatting or gaming on your smartphone, this latest report from Korea should motivate you to take some time to rest in between and do some light neck stretches. After all, a slipped disc is no joking matter as it requires frequent medical, chiropractic and/or physical therapy. In some cases, it may even require surgical attention.

If you or a loved one frequently uses a smartphone, get checked by a chiropractor. It can help prevent/ relieve neck pain, headaches and potentially prevent a disc herniation.

Dr. Stephen Kelly.www.family1stchiropractic.ca.  Family First Chiropractic. 403-347-3261.  142 Erickson Drive. Red Deer, Alberta