Posts Tagged ‘Chiropractic in New Fairfield CT’
Welcome to Chiropractic Life and Wellness Center's Chiropractic in New Fairfield CT Archive. Here you can learn more about Chiropractic Life and Wellness Center, Chiropractic, and Dr. Brandon Chorney, today's choice for Chiropractors in New Fairfield, CT. Read Dr. Brandon Chorney's Chiropractic Chiropractic in New Fairfield CT for the health of it.
We look forward to serving you! Call - 203-746-6543.
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Oct 11, 2011 | Health Articles
If your home is subjected to leaves falling each year, you’ll have to rake them up, and probably more than once each season. And you’ll almost certainly know about the consequences of leaf-raking on the body, including strain and pain in the neck, the upper and lower back, and in the shoulders. Just because you’re...
Read More >>
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Oct 4, 2011 | Health Articles
Traveling in any mode of transport can be physically demanding. Even if the final destination is a luxury holiday, getting there can leave you tired, stressed and in pain. Sitting down for too long can cause significant problems for the body. No matter how comfortable the seat or surroundings, pressures build and blood flow is...
Read More >>
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Sep 27, 2011 | Health Articles
Even if you love fashion, you must know that it’s a pretty fickle beast. What’s in one day is passé the next. You spend hundreds on an item in March, and then wouldn’t be seen dead with it in May. But the worst of it is the toll it can take on you physically. No...
Read More >>
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Sep 20, 2011 | Health Articles
Few people understand the true importance of maintaining good posture. Despite our hearing about it on a pretty regular basis, why it matters and how to achieve it remain a little murky for many.
Why good posture matters
Good posture is more than standing up straight. You have posture when you stand, walk, sit, kneel, lie down, play sport, etc. Whatever position your body gets into, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. The right way reduces strain on the supporting muscles and ligaments. The wrong way hurts. Good posture does the following for you:
- Keeps your bones and joints correctly aligned so your muscles work correctly and your joints experience the least possible wear and tear, reducing the risk of degenerative arthritis and joint pain.
- Reduces the stress on the ligaments that hold your spinal joints together, making injury less likely.
- Allows your muscles to function with less effort, so you get less tired and stressed.
- Lowers the risk of muscle strain and overuse disorders that can cause back and muscular pain.
Common risk factors for bad posture include: obesity, stress, pregnancy, weak postural muscles, unusually tight muscles, high-heels, lack of flexibility, poor work ergonomics, and bad habits when sitting and standing.
Sitting properly
- Your feet should rest on the floor. If they don’t, use a stool.
- Crossing your legs is not advised, and keep your ankles in front of your knees.
- Check there’s a small gap between the front of your seat and the back of your knees.
- Keep your knees at or below the level of your hips.
- Support your low- and mid-back, either with a backrest or back support.
- Don’t tense the shoulders, and check your forearms are horizontal.
- Get up and move about regularly when stuck sitting down for long periods.
Standing properly
- The balls of your feet should bear most of your weight.
- Don’t lock your knees; keep them slightly bent.
- Feet should be shoulder-width apart.
- Let your arms hang free at your sides.
- Stand straight and tall with shoulders pulled backward.
- Keep your stomach tucked in.
- Your head should be level, earlobes over your shoulders. Don’t force your head in any direction.
- When unavoidably on your feet for a while, shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or from one foot to the other, to share the burden.
Lying properly
- A suitable mattress is very important. Make sure you find one that is supportive and comfortable. This is a personal matter based on your own shape.
- Use a pillow to maintain your spine in proper alignment.
- Don’t sleep on your stomach.
- Sleeping on your side is less stressful on your spine than sleeping on your back.
- Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side.
- Place a pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back.
Your doctor of chiropractic is there to help you achieve and maintain proper posture, and can help you to strengthen your core postural muscles with specific exercises. Sport-specific postural advice is also offered to help minimize the risk of injury.
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Sep 13, 2011 | Health Articles
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, also abbreviated to TMD or TMJ, is the name for a variety of conditions that affect the jaw joint. Symptoms vary from case to case, as does the severity of the symptoms. Most people who suffer pain in the jaw muscles or joints experience only temporary or cyclical problems. Other people go on to develop chronic symptoms and are diagnosed as having TMD.
Signs of TMD may include:
- Radiating pain in your face, neck, or shoulders
- Limited movement or locking of your jaw
- Difficulty opening your mouth wide
- Pain when you chew or yawn
- Painful and/or loud clicking or grating when you open or close your mouth
- Pain or soreness in front of your ear, or in your jaw muscle, cheek, teeth, or temples
- A noticeable change in the way your upper and lower teeth fit together
- Headaches, earaches, dizziness, difficulties hearing or swallowing
If you have any of the above problems, your doctor of chiropractic can help identify whether TMD is responsible and offer appropriate conservative treatment if necessary.
Causes of TMD
TMD experts categorize the condition in three ways:
- Myofascial pain that affects the jaw, neck, and shoulders. (Myofascial refers to the muscles, not the face)
- Dislocation of the jaw or displacement of a disc
- Degenerative joint disease, meaning rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis in the jaw joint
A physical insult to the jaw is a major cause of TMD. This may be in the form of a knock while playing sport, a punch, or simply through overuse syndromes such as excessive gum-chewing, or significantly favoring one side of the mouth over the other when chewing.
Extended periods of physical stress can also lead to TMD. For example, sitting in a dentist’s chair with your mouth wide open for hours, although most dentists are aware of this problem and schedule breaks for the patient, or screen them prior to treatment for any jaw joint issues. If there is a problem, appropriate physical therapy may be required after treatment, or the patient may be asked to prepare before treatment with a series of jaw-loosening exercises.
Emotional stress can also contribute to TMD, although it is not in itself a cause. When a person is stressed and reacts physically through repeated teeth clenching or grinding, especially when this happens unconsciously at night, TMD may develop if the stress continues to produce these physical effects for any length of time.
Certain conditions that used to be labeled as causes of TMD are now referred to as just triggers. This includes moderate gum chewing, jaw clicking that causes no pain, orthodontic treatment that does not involve excessive opening of the mouth, and upper and lower jaws that have never fitted together properly.
Women are four times more likely to experience TMD than men, which may be down to postural differences, exacerbated by high heels.
Diagnosis and Treatment of TMD
If your doctor of chiropractic is required to assess TMD as a possible cause of your symptoms, you may be asked to do several things: place three fingers vertically in your mouth and bite down, open and close your mouth, and chew repeatedly. The chiropractor will check your jaw joint and muscle balance as your do these exercises and this is usually sufficient to confirm or rule out TMD. You will also be checked for any signs of inflammation and abnormalities. If further investigation is required to confirm diagnosis, an x-ray or MRI may be ordered.
If it is TMD, you may require chiropractic manipulation and massage, the application of heat and ice, and special exercises, with the primary aim of alleviating any pain. You may also be referred to a dentist or orthodontist if any appliances or splints are required to reduce the causes of the TMD.
Further chiropractic advice for dealing with TMD:
- Heat and ice. An ice pack isrecommended shortly after the injury or onset of pain. Later on, heat will help promote healing and reduce discomfort.
- Certain joint movements need to be avoided, such as chewing on hard foods, or eating food that causes the mouth to open too wide.
- TMD-specific stretching or strengthening exercises may be prescribed according to the specific case, and special feedback sensors in the jaw may need to be retrained.
