PAIN – You May Be Able To Live With It, But Chiropractic Can Help You Live Without It!

You’ll probably hear me say this a million times, but, our bodies are marvelously designed machines. They take care of themselves most of the time, but sometimes they need outside help.

Pain is important because it provides cues as to where, and what type of, injury we are experiencing. Whether it is caused by penetration of a sharp object, blunt trauma such as being struck by a club, the damage perpetrated by an invading organism or by bodily malfunction, or other things, we feel pain and immediately give our attention to that area, trying to determine the most effective way to make it stop.  A good portion of the nervous system consists of pain-sensing nerves for this very reason:  to encourage us to stop things from damaging our bodies.

Pain is the body’s way of reporting that some sort of change is occurring.  We have all had some type of injury, whether a broken bone, a bad cut, etc., that we knew, and could see, was healing properly, but still hurt just as bad as when it was injured. The change was for the better, but the pain is still there.

It is interesting that much of our body pain comes from irritation of the various nerves in our bodies. When the irritation occurs in the middle of the nerve, instead of at the nerve ending, our brain still interprets the signal as being damage to the structure supplied by the nerve ending. Many people have felt frustrated to be told by their medical doctor that there is nothing wrong with their leg when their chiropractor could have shown them the area of the lower back where the nerve interference is actually happening.

Since much of our pain is due to nerve interference, rather than actual physical damage, chiropractic care, along with ‘cold’ laser treatments, and other therapies are generally the least invasive, yet most effective, pain remedy. As I tell my patients, “If your bones are not bent at a weird angle, you are not spurting blood, and you are still breathing, it is worth stopping by my office, because chiropractic will probably be the solution to your problem.” Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Don’t wait for the pain to go away – it usually gets worse. Come to see us at Val Vista Chiropractic and get your problem fixed.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Allergies – An Alternative to Medications with Chiropractic and the ‘Cold’ Laser

It has been my observation that no matter what season it is here in the Valley of the Sun, it is ‘allergy season.’

A healthy immune system means high resistance to disease and infection, better ability to deal with stress, and greater health and well-being. Many things influence how well your immune sys­tem functions: your nerves and hormones, your diet, your genes and your emotions. The most common immune system disorder is the allergy. Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to an allergen (dust, pollen, milk, dog or cat dander, strawberries, etc,) and produces too many neutralizing chem­icals (especially histamines) to counteract it.

Conventional medicine has no cure for allergies, only treatment of symptoms. Because runny eyes, irritation, redness, fullness in the sinuses and other allergy symptoms are caused by histamines, antihistamines are often prescribed to dry mucous membranes. However, antihistamines can cause serious heart problems and should not be used with alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers. Also, steroid nasal sprays can damage the cilia in the nose and upper respiratory tract and affect the adrenal gland.

Allergy sufferers have praised chiropractic care for over a century. Chiropractic care is not a treatment for allergies, however. The goal of chiropractic care is to locate and correct a serious type of spine and nervous system stress called the vertebral subluxation. By releasing stress on the nervous system, chiropractic permits the immune system to function more effectively – something all allergy sufferers need since a nervous system with less stress functions more efficiently.

Your nervous and immune systems are interrelated and the health of one affects the health of the other. In addition to chiropractic care, the LazrPulsr ‘cold’ laser has protocols specifically targeting allergies.  We find the combination to be very effective for those who have sought our assistance. Imagine what life would be like without the additional aggravation caused by allergies.

If you or a loved one are plagued by allergies of any sort, doesn’t it make sense to investigate a non-invasive answer to the misery you are suffering?  Call today for an appointment to see if we can help you.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

How Does Our Body Work? – the Natural Approach to Healing and Health

 

Have you ever wondered how your body functions?  Probably not – something which is working properly is all but invisible.  Isn’t it wonderful that when you cut your finger or bruise your knee, most of the time, even if you do nothing, in a few days it is magically healed!

Our body is a marvelously designed machine.  It has the programming, and the capability, to keep itself healthy, and in constant repair – all without any thought or special effort on our part.  However, there are times where the programming has changed, or the damage is severe enough, that outside assistance is required.

One of my instructors said that, “When it comes to heroic care, the medical profession is second to none.”  Whenever the injury is extensive, healing is limited, or impossible, without the massive intervention that emergency medical training can provide.

But, what about all the problems going on in the background?  The little things we are not aware of, constantly building to a unwelcome surprise?  When you wake up with a toothache, get to the dentist, and he finds a hole in your tooth, does he say, “You ate candy last night, didn’t you?”  No!  “What have you been doing for the last six months?”  With our back, as with our teeth, when you feel the pain, the problem has already been coming on for a long time.

Chiropractic is oriented toward keeping the body functioning optimally.  We minimize pain and other symptoms, as well as problems caused by malfunctioning organs (if the nervous system is affected, anything it controls will be affected as well).  All accomplished by non-invasive, natural, holistic means.

Being healthy means less pain and more ability to do what you want!

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Chiropractic and 'Cold' Laser Can Help!

With computers, keyboards, and mice in almost every home and office today, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has become a household phrase -- every household has it.

You may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you have one or more of the following: tingling and numbness in the hand, fingers and wrist; swelling of the fingers; dry palms; blanching (whitening upon pressure) of the hand; or pain so intense that it awakens you at night with the possibility of similar symptoms in the upper arm, elbow, shoulder or neck.

The carpal tunnel is in your wrist. Your carpal (wrist) bones form a tunnel-like structure -- the carpal tunnel -- through which pass nine tendons and one nerve -- the median nerve. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve is irritated. 

The medical approach is to stop using the wrist by wearing a splint, injections, or in extreme cases, surgery. While these treatments may have varying, moderate degrees of success, do you really want to be injected with toxins (drugs) or cut open, with their attendant risks, before considering a less-invasive tactic?

Vertebral subluxations (spinal nerve root irritation caused by spinal misalignment) have been observed in many patients who have carpal tunnel syndrome or related hand and wrist problems. In fact, nerve compression in the neck can block the flow of nutrients to the nerves in the arm, shoulder, wrist and related areas, and make them more susceptible to injury.

Chiropractic is a system of healthcare which removes subluxations and allows your body to heal itself, including reducing or eliminating Carpal Tunnel or other hand and wrist symptoms.  We augment this with the LazrPulsr® laser, which has a protocol specifically for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Don't you owe it to yourself to pursue the safest method to return to good health?

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Auto Accidents, Whiplash Injuries, and Chiropractic and the ‘Cold’ Laser

Every person in the United States is involved an auto accident every seven years.  I’ve been blessed in that someone has been taking my turns for me, but for those of you that are filling your own quota, some information might be useful.

First of all, if the accident is not your fault, you deserve to be returned as close to the condition you were in before the injury as possible, at no expense to yourself.  This is why we carry insurance – to cover our own expenses for damage that we sustain and also for any others for whom it is determined that we are responsible.  You’ve paid for the insurance and you deserve the coverage.

Second, it is your privilege to select the doctor and the treatment regimen which you prefer, and chiropractic care, along with the LazrPulsr® laser is an excellent, proven strategy for optimal recovery from dramatic injuries.  While an attorney may feel more comfortable working with some doctors than others, he will not insist that you must go to a particular chiropractor, and any insurance company that says you must go to a particular doctor is breaking the law, and ripe for legal action.

Third, research shows that you can be just as badly injured in a low-speed (five to 10 mph) impact, as in a collision at a speed of 30 mph, due to the way that impact-absorbing bumpers are designed to operate.

Fourth, most symptoms may not show up for six months to two years after the accident.  Insurance companies recognize this and often try any means necessary to coerce you into settling the claim as quickly as possible.

When the spine is injured, it is rare to have bones fractured.  Rather, the supporting soft-tissue structures (muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs, connective tissue, etc.) are stretched and torn, so that the vertebrae are unable to maintain their correct position.  The nerve roots in those areas, already injured in the crash, are further irritated by the misaligned condition of the vertebrae, leading to as many different kinds of symptoms as there are nerves.

Chiropractic care is designed to maintain the vertebrae in their correct position as the damage heals, minimizing both the temporary symptoms and the long-term effects of the whiplash injury.  ‘Cold’ Laser therapy encourages the body to heal itself more quickly and with less pain by encouraging cellular healing.  At Val Vista Chiropractic, we incorporate this therapy in our treatments to get you healthy and healing more quickly. The LazrPulsr® laser has a Whiplash protocol, specifically targeted to speed healing as rapidly as possible.

The wisest course is to get to Val Vista Chiropractic as soon as possible after an automobile accident.  We will be able to evaluate your needs, provide appropriate chiropractic and therapeutic care (including the ‘cold’ laser), and get you back to optimal recovery and health as quickly as your body is capable of doing.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Boy Scouts Summer Camp is Coming. Val Vista Chiropractic does Boy Scouts of America physicals!

I have fond memories of the Scouting program as a boy – I earned my Eagle Scout rank shortly after turning fifteen years old.  We had a wonderful scoutmaster, Gene Schmidt, who gave unselfishly of his time so that our troop could have a marvelous scouting experience.

While all the camping experiences were great, I have to admit that summer camp at Camp Geronimo, near Payson, was the best.  They had a variety of merit badge classes available along with a myriad of other opportunities to delight and educate the boys.

The Boy Scouts of America wisely requires that each Scout pass a physical examination administered by a health-care professional to verify that he is capable of withstanding the rigors of the activities.  My obligations as a health-care provider make it difficult for me to commit the time necessary to serving as a Scout advisor, but I can assist the individual Scouts by performing the necessary Scout Physicals for them.

BSA is the finest organization available for boys and young men in the world today and they deserve our respect and support.  If you or your troop need BSA physicals, please call our office to arrange a time.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Children Need Chiropractic, Too!

I just had a young mother bring her six-week-old son into my office last week.  He had a cold, and his ears seemed to be bothering him, he was gassy and constipated, and beginning to act like he had colic.  Also, two days earlier, the doctor had informed her that tests indicate that he has 90% loss of hearing in one ear – independent of the cold symptoms.

The mother didn’t know what to do, and her aunt (who is a patient here) said, “You need to take him to Dr. Ray.”

I gave him a chiropractic adjustment, and explained that children are often chiropractic miracle cases.  She brought him in again two days later for a follow-up treatment and reported that he was much improved.  The grandmother said, “He’s now a quiet, happy, normal baby!”

I have treated infants as young as three days old, and children of all ages with a variety of complaints.  I tell the mothers, “If the child is still breathing and is conscious, it is worth trying a chiropractic treatment before going to the pediatrician.  As with adults, any treatment which avoids introducing unnecessary toxins (drugs) into the patient is always to be preferred.”

Mothers, you know better than any doctor when something is not right with your children.  They deserve to grow up as healthy as possible, and chiropractic care offers the best chance.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic