Posture and Muscle Balance

To simply say that poor posture stresses the spine doesn’t really convey how much of a burden poor posture is on your health. The most obvious problem caused by poor posture is muscle tension. Muscle tension is merely the tip of the iceberg. Poor posture and ergonomics cause stress and strain. Habits, like reading in bed and cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder, can create problems.

Your body doesn’t know the difference between a muscle that is doing work and one that is in spasm. The body has to supply nutrients and oxygen to a muscle that is in spasm, and that muscle produces waste products. Muscle tension requires energy and is a major cause of chronic fatigue.

Subluxation

Poor posture creates tension in the small muscles in the spine, called multifidi. These muscles are an inch or two long and connect individual vertebrae. Chronically poor posture creates spasms in these muscles, which in turn cause distortions in the alignment of the individual vertebra. These misalignments are called subluxations. Other areas of the spine may not be subluxed but do not move normally; these are called fixations.

WAS YOUR ARM EVER IN A CAST?

Have you ever had a cast on your arm, leg or other broken bone, and that cast kept a joint from moving? Remember how hard it was to move the joint when the cast was removed? The spine consists of dozens of joints and it is meant to be highly mobile. Chronic subluxations and fixations create stiffness and lack of mobility similar to that of a joint that has been placed in a cast. These cause stiffness, pain, weakness and can actually affect the function of internal organs.

THE WHOLE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS AFFECTED

Virtually every nerve in the body passes through the spine. When the spine contains subluxations, fixations, and muscle spasm the nervous system is affected. The obvious manifestation of this is pain and discomfort. Pain and discomfort are caused by stimulation (or irritation) of the nerves that emerge from the spine. Sometimes the pain is severe, sometimes it is merely annoying.

Pain is what brings most people to chiropractors. Chiropractors adjust (manipulate) subluxations and fixations to relieve pain and discomfort. It works very well. Chiropractic, as we know it, has been around for a hundred years. Spinal manipulation, however, has been practiced since the time of the ancient Egyptians and has a pretty good track record of improving health and relieving pain.

THE SPINAL NERVES

The spinal nerves are responsible for feeling pain (and other sensations) and for the movement of muscles. They emerge from the spinal column and are responsible for feeling and movement throughout the body.

Pain, weakness and other symptoms caused by irritation of spinal nerves are what usually bring people to chiropractors. To most people, the value of chiropractic is its ability to relieve neck, back, and other musculoskeletal pain. Even chronic distortions of the spine, while taking a little more time, can be relieved with chiropractic care.

THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

While it is clear to many people that chiropractic is effective in treating neck, back, and musculoskeletal pain, they may not fully realize that chiropractic helps the function of another part of the nervous system, the autonomic nervous system.

In the autonomic nervous system, there are clusters of nerves, called ganglia along the side of the spine. The ganglia handle automatic functions (they work autonomously). When you eat, you don’t have to tell your stomach to produce acid for digestion. When you run, you don’t have to tell your heart to beat faster to supply blood and oxygen to your legs. These functions happen automatically.

Think of the brain as the president of the company. The president isn’t involved with every detail of the running of that company. There are heads of various departments, marketing, accounting, sales etc. These department heads are like the ganglia of the autonomic nervous system.

Chiropractic Care Can Improve Every Function of The Body

People often think of chiropractors as treating bones, but in reality, they treat the nervous system. If you take a rubber band and put it around your arm, your hand will become numb, tingle and then ache. You have interfered with the nerve and blood supply. Similarly, subluxations and fixations affect your body. Spinal nerves are affected, causing pain and weakness and the autonomic nervous system is affected causing dysfunction in various organs. When you place a rubber band around your arm, the effects are felt in a few minutes. Pressure from subluxations and fixations, when chronic, are usually more subtle and their effects are felt over time.

Relieving subluxations and fixations create a sense of well-being and improved health. Chiropractic is effective for relieving pain, but its real strength lies in its ability to improve the health of the nervous system and the rest of the body. Chiropractic is a holistic profession which helps to ensure a lifetime of good health.

CELEBRITIES USE CHIROPRACTIC

San Diego Padres players, Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman and Woody Williams were featured in Chiropractic Products magazine. Two hours before a game several players receive chiropractic adjustments. U.S. Olympic speed skater Derek Parra, holder of three American records is a chiropractic patient. The ACA officially sponsors Parra who says, “I’ve always believed in chiropractic care. I’ve used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn’t get fixed until I go to a chiropractor. I tell other athletes about chiropractic care, too.”

Three-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong is a chiropractic patient. According to USA Today, after a Tour stage, he’ll get fluids and amino acids, take a shower, get a massage and get a chiropractic adjustment. Singer Janet Jackson is also a chiropractic patient. An article in the Chicago Tribune reports that Janet Jackson credits chiropractic for helping her to handle pressure.

Chiropractic is widely used by NFL players. According to JMPT, 77% of NFL trainers have referred a player to a chiropractor. 31% of NFL teams have a chiropractor on staff. An additional 12% of teams refer to chiropractors but do not have one on staff.

Olympic athletes have found that chiropractic is not only good for injuries but also helps to improve performance. Nicole Freedman of Stanford, California, qualified for the 2000 US Olympic squad as a cyclist at the Olympic Team Trials in Jackson, Mississippi, after being receiving a chiropractic adjustment. She had told her chiropractor that she thought she needed an adjustment to be at her peak performance.

Dr. Jan Corwin, a past president of ACA’s Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness, said of the athletes he treated in Korea(1988), “They were totally into it. I had so many patients while I was there, I didn’t even have time to eat. By the time I left Seoul, I had lost 12 pounds.” Dr. Corwin went on to say, “At least 50% to 75% of all the athletes I treated had prior chiropractic care and were very aware of the benefits of chiropractic to them as athletes.”

Chiropractic has grown in popularity among athletes because of the good care athletes have received from chiropractors all over the country. The list of athletes who have been treated with chiropractic is impressive. Olympic stars like Carl Lewis, Greg Louganis, Willi Banks, Edwin Moses are among the athletes who benefit from chiropractic.

In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia Sheila Taormina (gold medalist in swimming) and Marisa Pedulla (U.S. Judo Team) each received care from Dr. Steven Horowitz who was the chiropractic physician for the U.S. Olympic medical staff in 1996. Each woman wrote to thank him for their care. The athletes were very excited about the chiropractic care given to them. Dr. Horowitz notes that the athletes wanted to be sure that he was there for American athletes only. The athletes felt that they did not want him to give an advantage to other athletes by providing chiropractic care.

Pain is a Warning

Many people have back pain that they “can live with”. Maybe you are a little stiff and sore in the morning. Maybe it doesn’t hurt too badly if you avoid certain activities. Maybe it comes and goes. The pain has affected the quality of life, but not enough for you to do anything about it. If you are managing your pain with drugs, that is not a suitable solution, because you are interfering with the healing process.

The problem is that your low-grade pain can become debilitating, suddenly and without warning. If you have back pain, it very likely means that there is a weakness and instability. Stresses that are put on the back when bending or twisting may not be tolerated. If the muscles are not properly supporting you, if there are misalignments in the spine, an extraordinary pressure is placed on the ligaments and discs. Enough stress and the low-grade back pain becomes a serious injury. Now it is extremely painful and can require a lot of care and a lot of time to heal.

Are you experiencing any of these symptoms? Or perhaps you are tired of traditional medicine that is lacking in relief? Contact us today for a consultation with Dr. Firnhaber.

What sets our office apart from others is that Dr. Firnhaber is also a hospital trained phlebotomist and we are able to do blood-draws directly in office.

Blood Draws

Some of the tests we perform using a blood draw are:

• 96 Foods Intolerance Test
  This test is a non-fasting test that checks how your body reacts to 96 different foods. 
• Wheat Zoomer
  This test requires a 12-15 hour fast prior to the blood draw and checks the permeability of your gut. This importance of this test is that leaky-gut can lead to auto-immune diseases.
• Comprehensive Blood Work
• Thyroid Blood Work
  This test provides a comprehensive thyroid panel with autoimmune markers. 
• Heavy Metal Testing
• Mineral Testing
• Micro-Eval Nutritient Test

Non-Blood Draw Tests

We also are able to test other aspects of your health using non-blood draw methods.

• Heart Sound Recorder
• Kinesthetic Muscle Testing
• Male & Female Salivary Hormone Testing
• Hair Mineral Analyist
• Urinary Testing

Canine

1. Any acute disc disease that doesn’t involve paralysis, and particularly, loss of deep pain
2. Cervical ventral or lateral flexion of the spine not involving central nervous system disturbances or acute traumatic injury.
3. Disease of the stifle (back hip and leg joints), chronic or acute.
4. Shifting foreleg lameness
5. Unilateral rear leg lameness acutely presented without radiographic evidence of cause.
6. Degenerative myelopathy (disorders of the spinal column/cord)—chronic shaking, etc.
7. K-9 wobblers disease:
   • Strange, wobbly gait
   • Neck pain, stiffness
   • Weakness
   • Possible short-strided walking, spastic with a floating appearance or very weak in the front limbs
   • Possibly unable to walk – partial or complete paralysis
   • Possible muscle loss near the shoulders
   • Possible worn or scuffed toenails from uneven walking
   • Increased extension of all four limbs
   • Difficulty getting up from lying position

8. Hip dysplasia
9. Many allergies
10. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (CIBD)
11. K-9 Hypothyroidism
12. Kidney Disease
13. Atopic Dermatitis/ Allergy/Food Allergy

Equine

• Acute and Chronic Lameness
• Hock Disease
• Stifle Disease
• Gait Abnormalities
• Lack of Neck Flexibility
• Poor Performance/Focus
• Colic
• Ulcers
• Allergy/hives/urticaria
• Ventral Edema
• Head Shaking

Feline
Wry-neck or anterior cervical disease
Lameness
Lack of leg strength

Click here to download our FREE leaky gut brochure!

FOOD IN THE DIGESTIVE TRACT IS ACTUALLY OUTSIDE OF THE BODY

The digestive system is a 25-foot tube that begins in the mouth and ends at the anus. Technically food in the GI tract is still outside of the body until it is absorbed. The other interesting thing about the digestive tract is that much of the immune system is associated with it. It makes sense since the intestines and the associated immune tissue form a barrier to what is inside of the intestines–bacteria and other one-celled organisms. So when there is a problem with digestion, very often the immune system is affected. It is one of the reasons that several research studies have shown that supplementation with probiotics has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of colds and flu.

Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing to break down the food into smaller pieces. Thorough chewing makes food easier to digest. Many people suffering from gastric reflux would do much better if they thoroughly chewed their food. Chewing also mixes the food with saliva, which has amylase, an enzyme that helps to digest carbohydrates.

Next, the food goes to the stomach where it is mixed with hydrochloric acid and pepsin. Hydrochloric acid is produced by the stomach. It activates enzymes that digest protein and is necessary for the digestion and assimilation of minerals and other nutrients. The stomach adds hydrochloric acid and pepsin to help digest the food. The food then moves to the first part of the small intestine or duodenum. There the pancreas adds enzymes to digest protein, fat, and carbohydrate and the gallbladder secretes bile to help emulsify fats.

Problems with digestion in the stomach and duodenum include an inadequate production of hydrochloric acid (also called “hypochlorhydra”), pancreatic enzymes and bile salts. If this initial phase of digestion is inadequate, nutrients will not be absorbed, the GI tract can become irritated and yeast and other improper flora can grow in the lower bowel.

Poor digestion can be the beginning of digestive problems, fatigue, nutrient deficiency, obesity, food cravings, and allergies. It can also be the cause of irritable bowel, colitis and Crohn’s disease. Hypochlorhydra, or inadequate production of stomach hydrochloric acid is not recognized by traditional medicine. Traditional medicine believes that you can get along fine without any hydrochloric acid. Some holistic practitioners believe that hypochlorhydracan cause GI symptoms. Patients who are hypochlorhydric tend to have gas and become bloated after eating. They believe that it can also be at the root of many chronic health problems. People who do not produce enough hydrochloric acid tend to be deficient in amino acids, minerals, and vitamin B12.

It is controversial, but some holistic practitioners believe that people who do not produce enough hydrochloric acid (HCl) tend to bloat after meals, have gas and, oddly enough, may have gastric reflux. Often people who are hypchlorhydric get nauseous when they take vitamin supplements. Hypochlorhydra sets the stage for more serious problems like dysbiosis (growth of yeast, parasites or the wrong bacteria in the GI tract), allergies, poor absorption of nutrients (which can lead to fatigue, depression, joint pain and many other health problems), and more problems throughout the GI tract. This can also challenge the immune system and may be the cause of frequent illness, allergies, sinusitis and even autoimmune disease.

The most interesting of these symptoms is gastric reflux or GERD. Medical treatments for acid reflux center around suppressing acid production. But some think that there isn’t too much acid, in most cases, there isn’t enough. Inadequate HCl production leads to incomplete digestion and gas, forcing the acid that is present in the esophagus. The acid burning of gastric reflux isn’t from too much acid, it usually is from too little acid and that acid just ends up in the wrong place. Some animal studies show that reflux may actually be gastritis caused by bacteria; the body increases acid production to keep the bacteria in check and certain antacids can actually aggravate the problem by allowing the bacteria to proliferate.

In order for the stomach to make HCl you need adequate zinc and vitamin B1. If you are eating a diet high in refined and processed foods, these nutrients will be in short supply; such a diet may cause hypochlorhydra. Some authors believe that breastfeeding is necessary for the development of parietal (acid-producing) cells in the stomach and that people who have not been breastfed may have a tendency to have hypochlorhydra.

The small intestine is approximately 20 feet long. Its irregular surface, full of projections called villi and microvilli gives it a surface area approximately the size of a tennis court. The cells of the small intestine secrete enzymes to break down food and they absorb nutrients. Problems with the small intestine can lead to poor nutrient absorption; you don’t get the nutrients even if you are eating properly. This can lead to fatigue, allergies, digestive problems and many other chronic health problems.

The large intestine, or colon, is the final five feet of the digestive tract. In it there should be between five and seven pounds of bacteria. The number of bacterial cells in your body is greater than the total number of cells making up your body.

Normal bowel flora (bacteria in the colon) is necessary for good health. Colon bacteria produce butyric acid, which nourishes the colon cells. If the levels of butyric acid are too low, there is an increased risk of colon cancer.

Constipation is also a concern. It can burden the immune system, create fatigue and increase the chance of colon cancer. Even if you have a bowel movement every day, constipation can still be an issue. The two main things to consider with constipation are whether or not there are adequate fiber and water in the diet. One common occurrence is the patient who takes psyllium seed or other fiber source and is still very constipated; in fact, it seems as if the fiber supplement is making him or her more constipated. Most of the time this is due to not getting enough water. Bowel transit time is very important. What you ate yesterday should be departing today (within 24 hours). Some people, although they have daily bowel movements, can have a bowel transit time that lasts two or three days. That is not a healthy situation.

The digestive system is so important, that if it is not functioning optimally, chronic health problems can develop. Suffering from reflux, bloating, irritable bowel or even inflammatory bowel disease may be just the tip of the iceberg. For example, Crohn’s disease can be debilitating, even life-threatening. But it goes beyond abdominal discomfort; Crohn’s disease patients tend to be extremely nutrient deficient.

THE GI TRACT IS AN ECOSYSTEM

There are between four and seven pounds of bacteria in the colon. They belong there. Think of the GI tract as an ecosystem, with a balance between beneficial and not-so-beneficial microorganisms.

BENEFICIAL BACTERIA DO THE FOLLOWING:

• Produce vitamins like folic acid and B12.
• Nourish the lining of the colon by producing butyric acid. They do this by feeding on vegetable fiber. Adequate butyric acid levels reduce the chances for colon cancer.
• Inhibit harmful bacteria.
• Break down toxins.

Antibiotics use, eating refined sugar and refined carbohydrate and even stress can change the makeup of the bowel flora. When the bowel flora become unbalanced, it is a situation known as “dysbiosis”. Dysbiosis is an overgrowth of improper microorganisms. Perhaps the best-known form of dysbiosis is Candidiasis, which William Crook, MD, made famous in his book The Yeast Connection (Vin Books, 1986). An overgrowth of yeast, which produces toxins and undermines the health of the gastrointestinal (GI) system and the immune system, is a form of dysbiosis.

HARMFUL MICROORGANISMS DO THE FOLLOWING:

• Inhibit normal bacteria, creating deficiencies of nutrients and other problems.
• Produce toxins. Harmful bacteria create toxins and inhibit normal bacteria from detoxifying the bowel. Toxins can burden the liver and affect every function in the body.
• Hydrogenate polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Damage the intestinal lining creating increased intestinal permeability. This eventually leads to allergies and many other chronic health problems.

SYMPTOMS OF DYSBIOSIS:

A diagnosis of dysbiosis is controversial and is not generally recognized by traditional medicine. Some believe that allergies, chemical sensitivities, fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, digestive problems, skin problems, headaches, joint pain and virtually any chronic health problem can be caused by dysbiosis. These health problems are the result of nutrient deficiencies, toxicity, GI irritation and challenges to the immune system. Considering that most of your immune system is in your gut, believing that an imbalance in bowel flora can cause health problems is not unreasonable.

BEYOND DIGESTIVE SYMPTOMS

Poor digestion can affect every organ and system in the body. It can be the cause of many health problems. Poor digestion can cause poor absorption of nutrients and create deficiencies. For example, people who do not produce adequate stomach hydrochloric acid will often become deficient in vitamin B12 (among other things). This will cause fatigue, poor memory and depression. It is not uncommon to see someone who has been prescribed an anti-depressant drug who actually has a digestive problem and a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Over time, digestive problems can cause erosion in the small intestine. The small intestine is about the size of a 20 ft. long garden hose. But the inside is full of projections called villi. The villi increase the surface area of the small intestine to be about the size of a tennis court. All of the food you consume can come into contact with the villi, nutrients are absorbed there and the immune system guards against outside microbes and toxins.

There are so many problems that can be caused by digestive problems, that it is hard to list them all. Poor digestion can cause deficiencies in amino acids, minerals and a number of vitamins. Dysbiosis can create toxicity, vitamin deficiencies, and GI irritation (irritable bowel, colitis). Many natural health practitioners wisely believe that the first, best place to address health problems is in the digestive system. Here is a partial list of symptoms that can have their root in poor digestion:

• Sinusitis
• Allergies
• Irritable Bowel
• Autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)
• High cholesterol
• Arthritis
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Headaches
• Fibromyalgia
• Skin problems (including acne, rashes, and hives)
• Immune problems

CAN DIGESTION BE AT THE ROOT OF YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS?

We believe that it is important to get to the cause of health problems–and not to merely treat symptoms.

Hidden allergies and sensitivities don’t usually have a sudden and obvious reaction. The reaction to the offending food can take as long as 72 hours. People with this type of allergy often have a chronic health problem that they can’t link to any particular food. Sinus problems, digestive problems, eczema, headaches and obesity are examples of the health problems that can be caused by hidden allergies.

The Addictive “Allergy”

This concept is based on the ideas of Theron Randolph, MD. Dr. Randolph looked at food sensitivities in an entirely new way. Here are some of his ideas.

• A person can take up to 72 hours to react to an offending food.
• Food sensitivities can cause symptoms of chronic conditions and seem to have nothing to do with consuming the offending food. Symptoms like migraine headaches, sinusitis, eczema, digestive problems, asthma, and obesity are examples of the problems caused by hidden food allergies.
• People with food sensitivities are commonly addicted to the food that is causing their health problem.

Commonly, when the offending food is avoided, the individual’s symptoms become worse initially. Symptoms usually flare up for 4 or 5 days, but this reaction can last longer. After the reaction passes the individual will feel much better—chronic symptoms disappear, energy increases and excess weight begins to come off.

Avoidance Is Not the Only Way to Bring Hidden Allergies under Control

There are many well-documented cases of people who have been exposed to chemicals and developed many sensitivities. Physicians using natural health care are well aware of the fact that these patients respond to vitamin therapy. Vitamin C can reduce histamine levels. Trace minerals can support the liver in its effort to get rid of toxins. Supporting the adrenal gland and improving digestion are also useful strategies for bringing allergies under control.

In his book, Brain Allergies: The Psychonutrient Connection Including Brain Allergies Today (Keats Publishing, 1988), Dr. William Philpott has some case histories of patients with mental problems who, by removing food allergens from their diet, experienced great improvement in their psychological symptoms. Many of the patients could tolerate their allergic foods after vitamin supplementation.

For more information on other blood work and functional medicine tests we perform in our office, please click here.