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Back pain is a common problem affecting millions of Canadians every day. And when your back hurts, you know the impact that can have on accomplishing day to day activities.

There are many different types of back pain, all of which come with their own sets of causes and symptoms. But for mild lower back pain not caused by trauma or an underlying illness, try these simple tips for relieving some of the pain.

1. Chill Out. Although heat can be comforting, apply ice rather than heat to the affected area in the first 24-28 hours of symptoms. It can help reduce inflammation and help relieve pain. However, limit use to 15-20 minutes at a time, allowing the skin to warm up between applications, and avoid altogether if you have circulatory problems.
2. Rest Isn’t Always Best. Your spine is meant to move, so staying active can often help alleviate back pain. Going for a walk, taking a bike ride, or practicing some light yoga can help increase mobility and decrease pain. Just be sure to listen to your body and don’t overdo it.
3. Avoid BLTs. And we’re not talking about the sandwich! Although movement is great for back pain, Bending, Lifting, and Twisting can aggravate an already irritated back. It’s best to leave those activities out for the first few days after an injury.
4. Support your Spine. While a comfy chair or your favourite spot on the couch may look inviting, it’s best to swap out your usual seat for a more supportive option. Look for a chair with a taller back and firmer seat, supporting your spine and allowing for better posture. Don’t be afraid to bring your dining chair in front of the TV to watch the game or to catch up on your favourite show.
5. See a Chiropractor. As spine, muscle, and nervous system experts, chiropractors are highly trained to diagnose the cause of back pain and provide hands-on treatment that works. They can recommend a treatment plan that works best for you, help you feel better quickly, and prevent the problem from recurring. And if you’ve suffered a serious injury or are feeling numbness or tingling in the legs or feet, it’s best to visit your chiropractor right away.

And our office is also home to a number of other providers who can also help your back pain. Massage therapy, acupuncture, and occupational therapy can all help find the cause of your symptoms and get you feeling better quickly.

Ready to say goodbye to back pain? Give us a call today.

You’re at your desk at 3:00 pm on a busy afternoon, and try as you might, you just can’t ignore the tingling in your hands and wrists. You shake out your hands, open and close your fists a few times, but nothing seems to help.

Sound like you? Well, you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: a condition caused by compression of the median nerve in your wrist.

Your wrist is made up of 8 carpal bones which allow it to move and bend for daily activities. Lying on top of these bones on the palm side of your hand is a fibrous band (called the flexor retinaculum). These structures form the carpal tunnel, and allow several tendons and one nerve to pass through it from your arm to your hand. But, like any tunnel, there’s only so much space within it. If these tendons get irritated from daily, often repetitive activities, they can swell and leave less space for the nerve to travel.

The result? Numbness or tingling – even pain – in your wrist and hands.

The symptoms can also be caused by flexing or extending your wrists for long periods (such as curling your arms inward as you sleep), or even simply by one of those carpal bones being misaligned within your wrist.

But no matter the cause, it’s never any fun to experience. 
Here are some tips to relieve your symptoms:

• Take breaks often if you sit at a desk all day
• Make sure your office desk is set up in ergonomically (hint: Your chiropractor can help with this!)
• Do wrist and arm stretches often to relieve and relax tight muscles and prevent tendons from swelling
• Wear a wrist splint at night to prevent excessive flexion of the wrist
• When performing repetitive activities, switch hands or body position to alter your body mechanics
• See a chiropractor!

Even though your symptoms may be very infrequent now, it is important to get them taken care of as early as possible to prevent permanent damage to the median nerve. In some cases, surgery may need to be done to free up more space for the nerve to pass through, but the sooner a diagnosis can be made, the better the outcome.

Questions? We’re here to help!

As Canada’s National Winter Sport, you don’t have to go far to find someone who plays hockey. And whether it be at a highly competitive level, or just for fun on a backyard rink, injuries from playing the sport are extremely common.

For many hockey parents, having your child suffer a hockey-related injury can be stressful, especially when playoffs or tournaments come up. But did you know that a chiropractor can not only help after an injury, but may prevent injuries from occurring in the first place? 

Here are just some of the reasons how chiropractic treatment may help keep you or your kids before hitting the ice.

Increase range of motion

Whenever joints are restricted, the range of motion may be reduced, causing unnecessary stress on surrounding muscles and other joints nearby. This can make these areas more vulnerable to injuries that may have been avoided if the joints were moving properly.

Chiropractic care focuses on restoring movement to the body, not only in the spine but in your arms and legs too.

Improve balance and coordination

Your nervous system is the key to all of your body’s activities, and this includes your ability to balance and coordinate movements. When your nervous system is compromised by misalignments and restrictions in the spine, which can occur after a bad fall, or contact with another player, your balance and coordination can be affected. And we all know the importance of good coordination and balance when on the ice!

Chiropractic adjustments can help remove these misalignments and restrictions, allowing the nervous system to properly send signals through the body.

Prescribe stretches and strengthening exercises

How many times have you or your child gotten on the ice without warming up your muscles and joints first? While we’re often eager to start playing, not warming up (especially in a cold rink) can increase your risk of injury.

Your chiropractor can provide proper stretches to get your body moving before the game, and also prescribe strengthening exercises for muscle groups that may be weaker and more prone to injury in the future.

And if an injury does occur, chiropractic care can be helpful not only to reduce pain and promote healing, but also get you or your child back in the game faster.

You don’t have to search for long to find someone who has suffered from plantar fasciitis, as it is one of the most common causes of foot and/or heel pain in adults. But what exactly is plantar fasciitis, and how does it occur?

The plantar fascia is a flat ligament that runs across the bottom of your foot connecting your heel to your toes, and helps support the arch of the foot. If this tissue gets strained, weakened, swollen, or torn, it can lead to pain in the heel or bottom of the foot when walking or standing. Most often, sufferers of plantar fasciitis will describe the sensation of “walking on broken glass” when they take their first steps after getting out of bed in the morning, or after sitting for extended periods. This is due to stressing the ligament when weight bearing after long periods of rest.

As mentioned, plantar fasciitis is most common in adults between the ages of 40-60. Those with flat feet or fallen arches, or those who are overweight are at a higher risk of developing plantar fasciitis. If you stand or walk long periods, especially on hard surfaces, or wear flat shoes without support, you may also find yourself developing symptoms. Runners and dancers are also more susceptible to this type of injury.

Treatment for plantar fasciitis is available through chiropractic care. Chiropractors can reduce the stress in the ligament by improving the movement in surrounding joints via adjustments, as well as perform soft tissue work to the plantar fascia. They can prescribe stretches and exercises to strengthen and stabilize the area, and recommend orthotics if needed.

If you or someone you know has foot pain and suspects they may have plantar fasciitis, contact our office to find out more about our treatment options, and start feeling better today!

If you’ve ever suffered from vertigo, you know how troubling it can be. There are many causes and types, each lasting anywhere from a few seconds to days, and all equally frustrating. Chiropractic care has been shown as an effective treatment for certain types of vertigo, one of which being Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV.

BPPV is a very common type of vertigo, with intense dizzy episodes lasting for only short periods of time, often 30 seconds or less. The symptoms are brought on by changes in head positions, such as when shoulder checking, or lying down in bed. Along with these short episodes of vertigo, patients may also have additional symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and loss of balance.

Your inner ear is responsible for balance, and is made up of structures including the semi-circular canals and the utricle, which contains small calcium crystals. As you move, these crystals move too, and help inform your body of motion and positioning, allowing you to maintain balance. With activities involving a change in head position, such as yoga, rolling over in bed, or getting your hair washed at the hairdresser, these crystals can move from the utricle and into the semi-circular canals where they don’t belong, causing a sensation of motion even when you are not moving.

The good news is your chiropractor can help. If it is determined that you have BPPV, treatments that help to reposition the misplaced crystals can be performed during your adjustment. Often relief is seen after just one treatment! At-home exercises can also be prescribed to help with symptoms, and other lifestyle changes can be suggested to prevent the problem from recurring.

If you’re suffering from vertigo, reach out to our office and find out if chiropractic care may offer a solution to your symptoms!