What is Chiropractic?

If you are like most people in America, you most likely think Chiropractic is about back pain and the human spine. This is really only a part of the story. Today's blog post will shed some light on what Chiropractic is all about.

The focus of Chiropractic care is to decrease irritation or interference to your nervous system. This is important, because the human nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) is the "Master System" or "Master Controller" of all your body's systems. In fact, every cell, tissue, organ, or organ system is under control (directly or indirectly) of your nervous system.

Therefore, if your body is going to function optimally, you must have a healthy nervous system free from interference. So where does the role of the spine come into play?

The spine is made up of 24 bones that protect your spinal cord. They support your body, while allowing your body to bend and twist. Between these bones are nerves that supply the rest of your body with a connection between your cells and your brain. Stress on your body, especially in your spine can irritate these nerves, which can impact how well your brain communicates with your cells. This is why Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) work with your spine, to improve the function of your body. It is simply the best place to access and help your nervous system.

If you have back pain, neck pain or symptoms of discomfort in your body, it is probably safe to say that you have irritation in your nervous system. A chiropractor can help reduce or correct these symptoms, but this is not the main focus of Chiropractic care. Your chiropractor will work with you to eliminate your symptoms and will also advise you on how to improve your overall health naturally. This may include education on proper exercise, nutrition, positive thinking or other healthy lifestyle habits.

The Chiropractic profession is also drug-free and non-surgical. This is a basic foundation of Chiropractic. DC's enter the profession, because they want to help patients heal without the use of drugs or surgery. A simple motto used in my practice is; Chiropractic First, Drugs Second, Surgery Last. Chiropractic provides the patient with a drug-free health care option.

In summary, Chiropractic care is about function. The purpose is to increase the function of your body, by removing interference to your nervous system. As these "Subluxations" (irritations of the nervous system) are corrected, your body will be better equipped to deal and adapt to the stresses of everyday life. Chiropractic care combined a healthy diet, proper exercise and a healthy body-mind can improve your overall level of health and increase your vitality.

To learn more about how Chiropractic affects the health of your body, visit the National Guideline Clearing House, which contains a document with references demonstrating positive outcomes in patients with over 300 different health conditions with Chiropractic care.

Employee Enhancement Programs

What does your posture look like when you are at work? Whether you sit at a desk all day, work outside, lift heavy objects, or if you do repetitive motions all day, your posture is key in preventing injuries. At Columbia Doctors Group we are adding Employee Enhancement Programs that can teach your employees how to avoid back injuries, how to maintain a healthy weight, how to have more energy and how to improve their general health and well-being.

As an employer, this can reduce missed days and decrease your health care costs. We provide different levels of service from on-site Back School to webinars and posture screenings. If you are an employer who is interested in having an program at your facility, contact us at 281-4111. If you think your office could benefit and you are not the employer, contact us and let us know who your HR director is!

What We Do

Everyday I try to educate my patients and my community on what it is that I do in my practice. For most people, they think that chiropractors only take care of people with back and neck pain. While it is true, that a number of my patients initially start care in my office for these conditions, it is not the whole story.

Chiropractic is a natural form of healthcare and at Columbia Doctors Group; we provide Greater St. Louis with a drug-free form of healthcare. We do so by focusing on removing any interference that your body may have, to allow it to function at an optimal level. This begins with gentle chiropractic care to ensure that your spine is free from misalignments or subluxations that could be interfering with or irritating your nervous system. If you have nerve system irritation, your body is not able to function as well as it should, which can lead to symptoms.

In addition to chiropractic care, I advise my patients on healthy lifestyle habits, such as diet, exercise and stress management. In the coming months, I plan on adding Healthy Living Webinars that you can view in the comfort of your own home to help you make these changes in your life. If you are looking for ways to increase your health in the meantime, don't forget to join our email newsletter list, which provides easy-to-use information in your inbox each month. You can subscribe by clicking on the icon on the right side of this page.

Stay tuned for further updates...

You are What You Eat

Well not 100%, if you eat nothing but pretzels for a month you won't really become a pretzel but what you eat does play a huge role in how you feel and how healthy you are.

For Example: Did you know that pain receptors can be stimulated mechanically (tissue injury) or chemically (nutrition). It is true and the modern diet tends to create a pro-inflammatory state that makes our bodies more prone to pain and discomfort. One way to counteract this is to supplement your diet. It has been recommended that people supplement their diets with high quality multi-vitamin/minerals and omega three fatty acids (fish oil).

In addition it is crucial to drink plenty of water and make sure you include fresh fruits and vegetables with each meal. If you do these simple things you can improve the function of your body.

What you eat affects your health more than you can imagine. So take it seriously and if you need help determining what lifestyle choices you need to add or change. Contact us for a wellness assessment or visit our website to learn more about our supplements (Vitalizing Men's and Women's, Cardio O-3).

If you can't or won't exercise, won't see a chiropractor, won't eat vegetables and fruits, then it at least take a supplement! It is easy to take 2 in the morning and 2 at dinner. It just may change your life and start you on the track for future healthy lifestyle choices!

Understanding What We Do

I read a blog recently that shared an experience of a patient in a chiropractic office. It was a great read and it is something that happens fairly regularly in practice. A new patient enters an office and does not really know what to expect from a chiropractic appointment but after being examined and educated learns about how we help the body heal and why chiropractic works! This usually leads to some excitement on the patients part and they usually tell others which is what we need to do so that we can help more people.

I have many patients that want to refer patients to me because they know that I can help their family, friend, or co-worker. Often I hear that the prospective new patient is leery because they are scared of chiropractic or they simply do not know what to expect! This is sad and I can't tell you how many of my own patients say "if they only knew"!

Of course chiropractic is not scary and adjustments do not hurt. Did you know that you can be adjusted without cracking, crunching, twisting, or popping? Modern technology and science allow doctors of chiropractic to adjust patients faster, with no pain, and allow chiropractors to use computers to show areas of nerve tension and dysfunction.

Chiropractic can help your body work better by removing the interference to the proper functioning of the nervous system. If you would like to see how chiropractic may be able to help you, give our office a call because consultations are always performed at no cost. 618-281-4111.

To read the blog mentioned in this post visit: http://tinesandtopher.blogspot.com/2010/08/chiropractic-help.html?spref=fb

To read an article on Chiropractic and changing perceptions in the St. Louis Post Dispatch click: http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/fitness/article_718448b4-434f-5e9f-83ec-c2335d90a44a.html

Sports Injuries and Performance Based Chiropractic

(Photo) Dr. Laney Nelson DC DABCSP director of Logan University Sports and Rehabilitation and Dr. Brady R. Williams DC at The University of Missouri-Columbia.

At Columbia Doctors Group we are always looking for areas to expand our services. With our gentle chiropractic care and our extensive wellness services we are your full service chiropractic center. In addition Dr. Brady has been studying and completing coursework in the area of Sports Medicine. This summer he will graduate with his Master of Science degree (M.S.) in Sport Science and Rehabilitation from Logan University in Chesterfield MO.

Dr. Brady currently takes care of both high school and college athletes from the area. This summer he is working with the St. Louis Youth Soccer Association (SLYSA) and Logan University to provide care to the athletes on the weekends during SLYSA games. Dr. Brady will also be joining Logan at the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou) this semester with the help of some Logan interns in the care of their division 1 athletes.

The knowledge of his internship will further increase the services provided at our office. If you have a sports injury or want to improve your sports performance give us a call for a complimentary consultation to see how we can help.