Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Today's Inspirational Quote:

“I think that the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice.”

-- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

How Many Chiropractic Visits Will It Take to Heal Me?

When people find out that I’m a chiropractor the most frequent comment I hear is, “Chiropractors keep you coming back forever.” I respond, “I only encourage you to keep coming in as long as you want to feel good and not hurt.”

Chiropractic is based on the philosophy that health is not an absence of disease, but a state of optimal performance by all the body structures. If you maintain your health properly, pain is a rare exception, rather than a normal problem (please note the oxymoron).

Nowadays, however, even though many people pay lip-service to wanting to be healthy, they really only want to get rid of the pain they are feeling as quickly as possible. Most patients don’t care about the next pain they will get until they get it.

As a profession, chiropractic has always been about helping minimize future pain by staying as healthy as possible. It is galling to most of us to try and compete with aspirin and other painkillers. In spite of that, many chiropractors are giving their patients the choice of getting rid of the pain using a natural approach, discontinuing the care, and then returning to get more treatment when a new round of pain occurs.

Keeping in mind that natural approaches generally have a slower response curve than chemicals which force an almost instantaneous change, chiropractic patients still experience their share of rapid improvments. One should also remember that the medical doctor often provides as many treatments as I do, I just can’t bottle my treatments and send them home with you.

Some of my patients see major improvement in three to five treatments. Many, however, have actually had the base problems for a long time (sometimes for many years), and the body has to sift through layers of repairs in order to accomplish the desired pain reduction. All healing can only progress to the limits of the body’s maximum healing capabilities – no drug or surgical procedure extends it any further. Every healing art follows their own philosophy to assist the body in its efforts.

If you want to be healthy and have a better life, we at Val Vista Chiropractic can help you with that. If you want to just get rid of your pain, and then get on with your life, we will do our best to assist you with that. The choice is yours.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Today's Inspirational Quote:

“Everyone is your best friend when you are successful. Make sure that the people that you surround yourself with are also the people that you are not afraid of failing with.”

-- Paula Abdul

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Today's Inspirational Quote:

“'Patience is passion tamed.'”

-- Lyman Abbott

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Three Causes of Subluxation – Why We Need Chiropractors – Part 2

In the previous post I explained what conditions are necessary for the vertebrae to move out of their correct position (subluxate). In this post we will discuss the three things which cause them to move out of place.

1. Mechanical – This is anything which physically forces the vertebrae out of place:  getting hit with a baseball bat, falling off the roof and landing on your head, an auto accident, or repetitive stress injuries where you do the same movement over and over again, day in and day out, until the soft tissues finally give way and let the vertebrae move.
2. Chemical – Anytime we are exposed to chemicals we have the possibility of what has been labeled an allergic reaction. Those we are most familiar with are that our breathing becomes difficult, or that we develop a rash. Both of these have a muscular component. For some reason that I am not aware of, we have muscle tissue in our bronchial tubes which is capable of completely stopping the flow of air to our lungs. Exposure to certain chemicals cause these muscles to tighten sufficiently in some people until they have difficulty getting oxygen sufficient for their needs. We also have muscle tissue in the arteries and other blood vessels which allows the body to shunt blood to other areas as needed. Again, chemical exposure causes these to tighten in a manner that fluid is forced into the surrounding tissues, causing a rash. (I realize that there are also other mechanisms in play with each of these examples)  It stands to reason that if some muscle groups react to chemical exposure, others would as well. Spinal muscles tighten unevenly which makes it easier for vertebrae to move out of their correct position.
3. Stress – this used to be labeled ‘Psychological’ but everything lumps together pretty well under the heading of ‘Stress’. When I list this one, many people say, “But I don’t have any stress!”  My reply, “Did you get here today by driving on a road? Then you have been stressed!” We learn to ignore most of the stresses we experience, but they are still there working on us. I have heard so many people say, “I carry my stress in my upper-back,” or “in my neck.” Spinal muscles tighten up and cause pain and discomfort, and make it easier for vertebrae to move out of their correct position.

We have little control over most of these. Chemicals are in the water, food, and air, and the only way to avoid them is to stop eating, drinking, and breathing. While we can avoid some stresses, and learn to decrease, somewhat, their effect on us, overall, stress is here to stay. We do have the option to avoid doing stupid things, but many of our injuries are either due to accidents (which means that they weren’t planned), or necessity – most people don’t have the luxury to move to a different line of work because it hurts their back, and most parents will choose to risk serious injury in order to protect a child, and so, many of the mechanical causes can’t be avoided either.

New traumas are more likely to re-injure the previously damaged areas than the healthy ones, and with the muscles tightened unevenly, normal movement will work the vertebrae gradually out of place which causes the nerve irritation to begin again, causing a reoccurrence of the symptoms. Depending on the circumstances the problems may be corrected in one treatment, and other times may require a series of treatments. This is why you will find that most people will return periodically for treatment – they want to feel better again and stay healthy. At Val Vista Chiropractic, that is our goal and our function.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Today's Inspirational Quote:

“'How do you know so much about everything?' was asked of a very wise and intelligent man; and the answer was 'By never being afraid or ashamed to ask questions as to anything of which I was ignorant.'”

-- John Abbott

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Today's Inspirational Quote:

“I'm dense when it comes to discouragement.”

-- Lynn Abbey

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Three Causes of Subluxation – Why We Need Chiropractors – Part 1

Chiropractors treat and correct vertebral subluxations. These are vertebrae which have moved out of the correct position and are now causing nerve irritation. I am regularly asked, “What causes the vertebrae to go out of place?” to which the only reply is, “An injury to the spine.”

When most people picture a spinal injury, they imagine fractured (cracked or broken) bones. In reality, probably 95% or more of spinal damage involves no fracture, and the majority of those are of the non-dangerous and unfixable, but extremely painful, sort. The adult spine is made of 26 individual and moveable segments which are held in position by what are labeled soft (non-bone) tissues:  muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs and other cartilages, and various connective tissues. A trauma sufficient to stretch and tear these structures, or what is currently referred to as a ‘Repetitive Stress Injury’, causes enough damage to allow the vertebrae to shift out of their correct position and makes it almost impossible for the body to bring them back to their correct position without outside assistance.

In a variety of ways, many of which we have yet to discover, this position change (usually measured in fractions of a millimeter) causes irritation to nerves in the area, particularly the nerve roots exiting the spinal cord at that level. When the nerves are irritated they behave differently, and the messages they carry throughout the body become garbled, causing the body to malfunction in many different ways. The damage to the soft tissues alone causes plenty of pain, but any pain-signal nerves which are irritated will also report pain (for the area the nerve endings are located in) to the brain, even if that area has sustained no injury.

Soft tissues do not heal at 100%, even though with all the right care they can sometimes get close, and so after the initial damage has healed, there is always some degree of weakness and less flexibility which makes that area more vulnerable to re-injury than was the original structure; the less proper care rendered at the proper time, the more instability at those locations. Obviously, part of the “right care” is provided here at Val Vista Chiropractic – we help get rid of the subluxations with the associated pain and other symptoms they can cause.

In the next post we will examine the three things which cause the vertebrae to go back out of place again.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

It’s a Gut Feeling: Chiropractic Care with Constipation and Diarrhea

We had some excitement at our office earlier this week and I had no opportunity to do a Monday post. My apologies! Hopefully you will find this interesting.

Our bodies are made up of so many different parts that I love sharing with you some of the fascinating things which I have learned over the years. Today let’s talk about the ileocecal valve.

The ileocecal valve is where the ileum (small intestine) connects to the cecum (large intestine) and is located in the lower-right abdomen. The small intestine absorbs the majority of the proteins, fats and carbohydrates contained in the food we eat, and the large intestine absorbs the excess water which keeps the food liquid enough to pass through the intestines. Many vitamins and chemicals which are water-soluble get absorbed at the same time.

A valve is located at this junction and is normally closed. The act of swallowing solid foods causes the valve to open momentarily and the liquid waste held behind the valve squirts into the large intestine for water removal and expulsion. This is why a healthy person often has a bowel movement shortly after a meal. When the ileocecal valve sticks closed, the person often experiences constipation; when the valve sticks open – diarrhea.

I would love to say that a chiropractor discovered how to treat ileocecal valve problems, but I was told that it was probably originally an osteopathic treatment. It involves deep tissue massage of the valve and you can find some chiropractors and some massage therapists who know how to perform it. I would be surprised to find any osteopaths still utilizing the various massage treatments they pioneered. Naturally, a chiropractic treatment administered concurrently would help the body to heal the valve and minimize future recurrences.

Your chiropractor can help with a variety of complaints and ailments. If you want to get rid of pain, or just feel better, consult with a chiropractor. I know that you will be pleased with the results.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Today's inspirational quote:

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.  May your mountains rise into and above the clouds."

-- Edward Abbey


Getting rid of your pain,
Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor
Val Vista Chiropractic

Daily Inspiration From Your Chiropractor

Something new!

On the days that I don't have a regular posting, I have decided to post a quote that lifts my spirits and helps me to stay focused.  I hope that they will benefit you as well.

Today's inspirational quote:

"My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging."

-- Hank Aaron


Getting rid of your pain,
Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor
Val Vista Chiropractic

Quick Stretches Help to Make Your Day

If you are in the majority of the population whose daily routine consists of sitting at a desk or standing in one spot most of the time, may I recommend a few quick stretches to loosen you up. Our bodies need a break from this type of schedule every two hours or so to avoid stiffening of muscles with other attendant problems.

• Place hands shoulder-width apart on wall, stand with feet directly below hips and bend knees, lower head between arms and hold stretch for 10-15 seconds
• Stand and place hands just above the back of the hip bones with the elbows back, gently press forward and slightly lift breastbone upward while holding the stretch, hold for 10-15 seconds
• Stand with feet pointed straight ahead – a little more than shoulder-width apart, bend right knee slightly and move left hip downward toward right knee, hold stretch for 10-15 seconds, repeat on the other side while holding onto a chair or other solid support if necessary
• Stand up straight with feet, hips and shoulders in a straight line, stretch hands high above the head while raising up on tiptoes and try to reach the ceiling

Above information from Getting in Shape by Bob Anderson, Ed Burke and Bill Pearl – if you would like a copy of their complete recommendation for ‘On the Job’ exercising, e-mail us at requests@drstevenray.net with “On the Job Exercises” in the Subject line.

It’s never too late to start getting in better shape, so start today with stretching at work – I’m doing it, too!

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

I Can’t Be Adjusted Because . . .

I constantly have friends, relatives, casual acquaintances, person behind the counter, who tell me, “I can’t/won’t go to a chiropractor because . . .” and then proceed to give some creative excuse which, to someone familiar with chiropractic, is almost always meaningless. Aside from the few truthful ones who say they can’t afford it, and the ones who are afraid of being hurt (which has been addressed in a previous post), most people simply display their lack of knowledge on the subject of health and chiropractic care. Here are some of the justifications I have heard:

1. I am too fat/thin to be adjusted.  People often ask me, “How can you feel the spine of a fat person?” Interestingly, very seldom does body fat obscure the spine – usually the spine of an obese person is as palpable as that of someone of normal weight. I have had two patients who weighed 600+ pounds, and while my table struggled to raise them back up to a standing position, I had no difficulty in palpating or adjusting them. In 28 years I can’t recall more than a handful of patients whose spine was difficult to feel because of their padding. As far as being too thin to be treated:  I adjust children and painfully thin adults on a regular basis with no adverse effects – it all depends on the skill of the doctor.
2. I can manipulate myself. People regularly boast that all they have to do is lock their legs around a stationary object and twist their body by grabbing something behind them, or lay backward over a chair back, or grab their head with both hands and give a sharp jerk, or just give a big stretch, and everything all goes back into place and they feel fine. Vertebrae that need to be adjusted are locked up and not moving freely, and surrounding vertebrae become hypermobile in order to compensate for the limited movement. Someone manipulating themselves almost always moves only the hypermobile joints while having minimal effect on the fixated ones. Additionally, most people who are honestly paying attention admit that somewhere along the way this self-manipulation they are doing no longer gives any relief but has become merely a habit.
3. There’s nothing wrong with me. Spinal injuries almost never involve fractured bones. Instead the soft, supporting structures are damaged which causes the nearby nerves to be irritated. Since only around half of the nerves in the body transmit pain signals, it is quite common for spinal misalignments to exhibit minimal pain. Instead we may notice numbness and tingling, muscle weakness, loss of coordination, and various illnesses due to organ malfunctions. Injuries can be of the fall off the roof and land on your head variety, or of the very common repetitive stress type, which are very subtle. Anyone who claims to have never had any accidents or injuries in the first 25 years of their life is either lying, or, more likely, having difficulty recalling details. Therefore, almost everyone has a number of things wrong with them which would benefit from improved spinal health.

These are just some of the reasons people utilize to avoid feeling and functioning better, getting rid of pain, and living healthier, more productive lives. At Val Vista Chiropractic we help people to feel better and achieve more of their potential. What’s your excuse?

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Mandatory Insurance and Health Care Has Failed!

The Australian Research Council issued a news release September 27, 2012 regarding obesity in the Baby Boomer population. The initial findings show that Baby Boomers, those born between the end of the Second World War and the mid-1960’s, have the highest levels of obesity of any age group in the country.

In fact, obesity rates among baby boomers are more than double that of their parents at the same age. They also have twice the rate of asthma and hearing loss; triple the rate of diabetes and almost double the cholesterol levels of their parents (age group 53-62). The proportion of baby boomers with three or more chronic conditions is 700% greater than the previous generation.

The reason this information caught my attention is not just the findings, but more importantly, the deeper implications, and conclusions which should be drawn from it.

Australia has had a nationalized, mandatory healthcare system for many years. We have been told, for at least the more than 50 years that I have been alive, that increased availability, and enforced use of, various medical services is what has caused each generation to be more healthy than the previous one. This study shows that claim to be absolutely false. No generation has had more marvelous medical technology available, nor access to it, than the current generation, and yet, our level of health is going down.

I can already hear the counter-arguments:  We are obese because people choose to eat unhealthy foods and refuse to get the proper amount of exercise. I happen to agree that that is true. So, do we now follow our current, as well as a former, First Lady’s recommendations and pass laws mandating how we must eat and how much exercise we must perform each day?

Additionally, obesity was only ONE of the issues. Asthma, hearing loss, and other chronic conditions, are much more tenuously linked to diet and exercise. Why hasn’t our marvelous health care system eliminated them from the earth’s population, as it supposedly has smallpox, polio, and other conditions routinely vaccinated for (this is fodder for a future blog post).

I am NOT advocating getting rid of our healthcare system (remember, I’m part of it, too). My concern is that we now have proof that mandatory healthcare alone does not improve our health. It is time to reconsider, and then remove the mandatory components from health insurance and from healthcare providers, and definitely get the government out of the healthcare industry. This will allow true healthcare reform to occur.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Stop Pussyfooting Around! Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spurs and Chiropractic Care

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a patient mention seeing another doctor for foot pain, I tell them that I have very good success with that condition, and treat them, and when they are feeling better they say, “I never knew chiropractors worked on feet!” As I’ve said before:  if your condition is not immediately life-threatening, at least ASK me – most of the time you will be pleasantly surprised at what can be accomplished with chiropractic care.

The foot has 26 bones:  seven make up the heel/ankle/arch, five are the actual ‘foot’ bones, and the remaining fourteen are in the toes. Each arch provides extremely strong support for half of the body’s weight upon a small surface as well as stability for the foot.

When the foot is injured in one of its myriad possibilities, the ligaments and muscles which sustain the arch often will stretch and tear in a manner that allows one or more of the bones to slip down slightly out of position. While this is seldom in the category of “flat feet” or “fallen arches”, it still causes instability of the surrounding joints and irritation of the local nerves, along with the pain from the injury itself.  When the pain continues beyond any obvious injury, the painful inflammation and swelling of the fascia (all soft tissues including muscles and ligaments) in the plantar (foot) area is labeled “Plantar fasciitis” (foot pain).

There is a small ligament which connects the heel bone with one of the bones in the front of the arch which assists in maintaining the integrity of the arch. Sometimes, particularly after injury or aggravation to the heel area, this ligament begins to calcify, and on an x-ray appears as a hook-shaped bone beneath the heel which is commonly referred to as a “heel spur”. This condition is often quite uncomfortable during standing and walking.

At Val Vista Chiropractic, chiropractic treatments supplemented by the ‘cold’ laser – particularly of the arch area – for foot problems are quite successful. Many times plantar fasciitis and heel spur pain can be calmed simply by returning the arch bones closer to their correct arrangement, and allowing the injured areas to heal. Inserting a rigid plastic arch support is often of minimal value in creating, or restoring, the arch, and cortisone injections to treat heel spurs is a much more invasive approach which often does not keep the pain at bay for very long. If you are having foot problems, I encourage you to ask first what your chiropractor can do for you.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic