Weight Loss is Achievable through Chiropractic techniques

Excessive weight is probably the most common problem among people, given their sedentary lifestyle and excessive eating. Weight loss has almost become an obsession with people intent on trying anything new. Crash diets, weight training, you name it and people have tried it, only to fail. Ever wondered the reason for such failure? All these programs have their positive aspects and are really good by themselves, yet many fail to produce long term results, mainly due to lack of consistency and perseverance.

Chiropractic techniques are non surgical techniques using a lot of natural supplements that help weight loss in a person. Chiropractors help you in your weight loss endeavor by making certain lifestyle changes that are requisite for weight loss. The chiropractic approach towards weight loss is essentially four fold, namely, diet and nutrition, exercise, massage therapy and lifestyle modification.

Diet and nutrition are the most important factors of any weight loss program and you should never go on a crash diet as they do not help in weight loss. Instead of going on crash diets, a sensible method would be to get rid of all foods that have a high fat content. You have to make a conscious change in the kind of food you eat and be aware of the nutritional value of each ingredient or component. Chiropractors help you identify good nutritional supplements and foods that help in overcoming your problem of excessive weight. As selection of these products is based on your blood type and body type, they are perfectly safe and promise results.



Exercise is another important factor that determines weight loss or increase in our body. Chiropractors help identify sensible and safe exercises that help in weight loss without causing any harm to other body parts. However, it is important to understand that all things must start and continue at a slow pace, in order to achieve big results. Slow and steady wins the race, an old adage is apt in this situation. Chiropractic techniques help in identifying simpler exercise sessions that are well spaced out for beginners and then increase the time frame for more experienced people.

Massage therapy has been successfully used by Chiropractors for weight loss and are integrated within their weight loss program to supplement the other approaches. Massage or hands on manipulation of the body is an integral part of chiropractic treatment and has use even in producing weight loss in a person. There are various massage points and types that are manipulated by chiropractors to achieve their desired results.

Finally, people tend to put on weight due to overeating and reasons for overeating could be anything from depression, anxiety, loneliness and it is important to eliminate such problems by making lifestyle changes. It is also equally important to set realistic goals and achieve them instead of expecting a lot. Chiropractors help in making lifestyle changes and also counsel their patients on their various problems, thereby helping them in their weight loss endeavor. It is always good to remember that weight is gained instantly but it takes time to lose it, so have patience and persevere, you will definitely attain positive results through chiropractic care.

Learn More About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is often always misunderstood by many. Information and awareness drive would help people recognize CTS. Here are the common causes, risks associated with CTS and the different treatments available.

Causes
Like any other ailment, the cause of CTS can be attributed to many factors :
1. A congenital predisposition - the carpal tunnel is simply smaller for some individuals.
2. Wrist trauma or injury - sprain or fracture, over-activity of the pituitary gland, hypothyroidism, and, rheumatoid arthritis
3. Mechanical problems in the wrist joint
4. Work stress
5. Repeated use of vibrating hand tools
6. Fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause
7. Development of a cyst or tumor in the canal

Risks
Here are some interesting facts about CTS : It is three times more likely to happen to women as men maybe because women’s carpal tunnel is smaller than men; It is usually experienced by adults. Now that we know these facts, what are the risks involved?
Persons with diabetes or other metabolic disorders are at high risk.
People who are in the assembly line work (manufacturing, sewing, finishing, cleaning, and meat, poultry, or fish packing) are more likely to develop CTS. A research even showed that it is 3x more common among assemblers than data encoders.

Treatment
Do not procrastinate. When you feel the symptoms already, it is always best to consult a doctor. Have your treatment done as early as possible. Let us look how CTS is treated in different ways at different levels. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) results in more than two million visits to physicians' offices each year.
First level
1. Affected hand and wrist should be rested for at least 2 weeks
2. Avoid activities that may worsen symptoms
3. Use a splint for your arm to immobilizing the wrist and avoid it from twisting and bending.
4. Apply cool packs to reduce swelling if it is inflamed
Second level
1. Intake of drugs to ease the pain and swelling caused by CTS
2. Do some stretching and strengthening exercises to abate the symptoms. Seek the help of physical or occupational therapists.
3. Take some Yoga lessons which have been proven to reduce pain and improve grip strength of CTS patients. Some will suggest acupuncture and chiropractic care but there is still no proven study on its effectiveness.
Third level
1. Surgery – Some statistics indicates that there is an approximately 260,000 carpal tunnel surgeries performed each year in the U.S. alone. There are two kind of CT release surgery :
Open release surgery - a traditional procedure done to an outpatient. This procedure is used to correct carpal tunnel syndrome which is performed under local anesthesia.
Endoscopic surgery – this procedure allows faster functional recovery. It also brings less postoperative discomfort than traditional open release surgery.
Prevention is always better. But is there a way to prevent it? Read on and find out how you can prevent CTS:
- perform stretching exercises
- take frequent rest breaks
- wear splints to keep wrists straight
- use correct posture and wrist position

Defining Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

My friends and I would normally joke about carpal tunnel syndrome. When someone would feel a little numbness or pain in the hands or wrist after so much computer works, we would tell them that it is carpal tunnel. We often say it without actually knowing what carpal tunnel syndrome really is.

Fact is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is not a byproduct of the computer age as others would think of it. Did you know that CTS is recognized for as long as the mid-1800s? We did some research and found out more about CTS. Read on find out what CTS really is and the different symptoms related to it.

Carpal tunnel syndrome defined
We cannot define CTS without being scientific. So we looked for the simplest scientific definition and have borrowed that of The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes description : “CTS happens when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers (although not the little finger), as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.”
Carpus in Greek means "karpos" and when translated in English - wrist. The band of fibrous tissue that surrounds the wrist functions as a support for the joint. The tight space between this fibrous band and the wrist bone is called the carpal tunnel.

The carpal tunnel syndrome is the disease and not the carpal tunnel. To fully understand the syndrome, we must also describe the carpal tunnel. As mentioned, it is not an illness but it is mainly the narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand.
The carpal tunnel houses the median nerve and tendons. And when the median nerve is compressed it may result in pain, numbness or weakness in the hand and wrist which even spreads up in the arm.

Symptoms
What are the different symptoms of CTS? How would one know that they are experiencing CTS already? The symptoms may be categorized into three levels.

First level Symptom: CTS usually starts gradually in the palm of the hand and fingers (especially the thumb, index and middle fingers) with the following sensation:
- frequent burning
- tingling
- itching numbness
- feel useless and swollen
- often first appear in one or both hands during the night

Second level symptom: The symptoms in the first level worsens. In this level, people generally feel the following :
- tingling during the day
- decreased grip strength

Third level symptom: In chronic cases, people will most of the time feel the following :
- muscles at the base of the thumb may waste away
- unable to tell between hot and cold by touch

They say that CTS is experienced by 5% of the population. Getting to know the symptoms and knowing what CTS is will help you determine the sensation that you are feeling. Do not just take things for granted. Immediately consult your doctor.

Chiropractic Care – An Overview

Chiropractic care derives its name from a Greek phrase which roughly translates into ‘treatment through the hands’; and while its surge in popularity is quite recent, it has been in practice for well over a century.

This is an alternative/complementary health care form which focuses on our body structure and specializes in correcting various disorders / ailments such as back or neck pain, fibromyalgia, sciatica, and headaches and can also prove helpful when dealing with accident cases.

Chiropractic care, opposed to popular notion, is not so much as alternative form of medicine as it is a complementary form. Chiropractors essentially work along with other professionals from the medical fraternity in trying to help their patients.

Chiropractic care is regarded as a conservative form of treatment that does not involve any drugs. In opting for chiropractic care, you are essentially allowing your body to work on healing itself without any drugs, medication, or surgery. Chiropractic care is regarded as a natural approach to addressing health care issues, and can help you with your overall fitness and wellbeing as well.

Chiropractic doctors help people across all age groups and the popularity and acceptance of this form of treatment is growing continually, the world over. Apart from the benefits mentioned above, Chiropractic doctors also help people with conditions such as insomnia and tension.

While the practicing styles of different Chiropractic professionals might vary, they all basically rely on precisely adjusting the body’s musculoskeletal system by using non surgical and non invasive techniques.

Chiropractic care originally evolved in the US and it now is a licensed health care form in all the American states. Chiropractic care is also given in the UK, Canada, Australia, and more than a hundred other countries the world over.

While Chiropractic care is looked upon as a non traditional health care form, it is clearly distinguished from the ‘American Medical Association’ (AMA). Individuals who are licensed to practice the chiropractic system are referred to as Chiropractic doctors, Chiropractors, or Chiropractic physicians.

While a number of people think that Chiropractors haven’t studied much, this is far from the truth. In order to qualify to be a chiropractor, one needs to have studied in a pre professional college for a minimum of three years and then study for four years in a Chiropractic accredited college. Upon completion of the course, a state license board exam also needs to be passed before one can start practicing. Besides, a number of states within the US require Chiropractors to continue earning education credits in order to retain their licenses to practice.

You should also now that Chiropractic care is covered by a number of health insurance firms, compensation systems, etc. Also, the number of Chiropractors has risen considerably in the past. While there were around 35,000 Chiropractic doctors in the US in the 80s, the number has now risen to well over 70,000.

Besides, with ongoing research, this form of treatment is only expanding and strengthening its understanding of the functioning of the human body. So if you are in any kind of pain or are going through any kind of physical discomfort, visiting a Chiropractor could very well do the trick.