Health begins before birth. As a Charlotte chiropractor, I believe in a proper diet, exercise, a stress free environment, and natural chiropractic care can help prepare for a happy, healthy baby. Prenatal chiropractic checkups can help reduce or eliminate low back pain and other uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy without the use of drugs. Gentle adjustments of mom’s spine may help reduce complications of labor. What parent wouldn’t want that? The birth process itself can be one of the most traumatic events of our lives. Even so called “natural” birthing methods can stress a newborn’s spine. The resulting irritation to the nervous system can be the cause of many infant health complaints. Colic, ear infections, digestive problems, breathing problems, and allergic reactions are often traced to nervous system dysfunction resulting from spinal misalignments. Chiropractors are the only professionals trained to detect and correct spinal misalignments. Regular chiropractic checkups are especially beneficial as your baby begins to support its head, crawl and walk. Even the bumps, bruises, falls, twists, and snaps of everyday toddler life can interfere with proper growth, during rapid stages of spinal development. This can set the stage for scoliosis (spinal curvature), “growing pains” and a weakened immune system. Our Charlotte chiropractic techniques are modified to fit your child’s size, weight, and unique spinal problem. And the great news is, kids respond quickly. Their misalignments haven’t been cemented in for 30 years like yours. And chiropractors don’t give shots or medications, so kids love coming to our office. The parents like it too, since they often report their children seem healthier than other kids their age, saving money on doctor’s visits, medications, and lost time from work. Chiropractic care is safe.

As a Charlotte chiropractor, I received a four year Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, followed by four year post graduate degree at a Life College, a government accredited Chiropractic College, followed by national and state licensing boards, and Sports degree from NY Chiropractic College. This training and conservative approach makes chiropractic one of the safest forms of health care. While an estimated 1,600 people will die from aspirin this year, and thousands more from prescription drugs, chiropractic care is exceptionally safe. Chiropractic is so safe, that malpractice insurance for chiropractors costs a fraction of what other types of doctors pay. In fact, adjustments are so gentle; I’m more likely to hurt myself leaning over to give an adjustment than you are from receiving it. Wouldn’t it be nice if that were the case with all doctors?

Along with regular dental, eye and physical examinations, more parents are adding chiropractic spinal checkups for their children and themselves. Wary of the use of antibiotics, tubes in the ears and side effects of prescription drugs, concerned parents are including a chiropractic doctor on their health care team. The wellness and prevention aspects of chiropractic care are attracting informed cost-conscious health care consumers. It’s a joy to work with kids, I love it. My heart sings to know I’ve helped make a difference in a child’s life. The smiles and hugs I get make all those years of school worth every minute. For more information about chiropractic and kids or to schedule an initial evaluation for your child, contact ProHealth and Wellness at 704-583-6129 or write to 10955 Winds Crossing Drive, Suite 400, Charlotte, NC, 28273.

What is Laser Therapy?

 As a Charlotte chiropractor, I continue to search for medical advances that assist in the treatment of our patients. Most people are aware of the use of lasers in the military and for surgery, but not everyone has heard of non-invasive Cold Laser Therapy. Laser Therapy was initially used by doctors in Europe in the early 1970's. With over 30 years of research, and 20,000 research articles, it finally received FDA approval in 2002, with the stronger Class IV Laser in 2005.

After exhaustive research and testing, I introduced Class IV Laser Therapy to our office in order to assist patients return to health by stimulating tissue repair and growth. That is one of the major benefits to Laser Therapy, improved healing. Of course there are other benefits, such as decreased pain, decreased swelling, decreased scar tissue formation, decreased healing times, and increased circulation. For Charlotte neck pain patients this has been fantastic. As well as those suffering with lower back pain and headaches. Another benefit is that a treatment with the laser has little or no sensation. Occasionally patients will note soothing warmth, but add that they like the way it feels. It can even feel relaxing!

As a chiropractor, and a chiropractic sports physician, utilizing the laser in conjunction with adjustments has greatly increased my patient healing times, helping alleviate pain quickly so I can focus on correcting spinal problems as efficiently as possible. Laser Therapy isn't only used on the spine. Extremity related issues such as shoulder injuries, knee pain/swelling, plantar fascitis, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome have all responded well to the combined treatment of adjustment and Laser Therapy.

How does it work? The process is known as photobiostimulation. Basically, with specific infrared wavelengths of light (not visible), photons penetrate deep into the treated tissues to activate mitochondria. Mitochondria are organelles found within the cells of the body, that act as power-plants. Injured tissues have significantly lower energy production, and is one of the reasons it takes so long to heal. By stimulating the mitochondria, we increase the available energy production of the cell, thereby increasing all activity of the cell, including healing. Of course increasing the metabolic activity of the cell helps to increase the movement of nutrients into the cell. With more food, comes greater energy, and thus the tissue heals...faster! So many people including doctors are unaware of this therapy. I have been very pleased with Laser Therapy, and the benefits my patients have received with its usage. I am extremely excited about the impact this treatment will have on our community, helping people heal faster and enjoy life to the fullest.

Ask about our Laser Therapy Packages designed to help you receive the best care, for a fraction of the price.  Call ProHealth & Wellness at 704-583-6129 to schedule your appointment.  If you are new to the office ask if your are eligible for a complimentary bodyworks sampler package.

Personal Testimony for Chiropractic

I have been asked many times about the reason I became a Charlotte chiropractor. Well, one of the biggest reasons I decided to become a chiropractor was how it personally affected my life. I was a senior in high school playing varsity football, and hoping to get a shot to play college football. I was playing both middle linebacker and fullback, and having a great season. During practice I was running the football when I hit another player wrenching my head very quickly to the right side. Immediately, I went down to my knees. The pain was excruciating. I felt like I had 1000 knives cutting off my arm going into my neck. After the pain, my arm felt as if it was paralyzed. Five minutes later, the neck pain relieved, and the sensation began coming back into my arm. The next day my Mom took me to the medical doctor, and he told me that I had suffered from a neck stinger. He also informed me that my season was over and that I would need to rest and "stay off" my neck. Well, with the love of the game, and wanting to play college football, that was going to happen. So I decided to play through the neck pain. Throughout games, when I was hit just right I would re-injure myself, run off the field, then five minutes later sprint back on to play again. My coaches became more and more concerned, and started taking me to specialists that they knew. I went to orthopedists, neurologists, and physical therapists. They gave me all sorts of exercises, medications, made me special braces for my shoulder pads and neck, none of which helped. Finally, when the specialists mentioned strapping my helmet to my shoulder pads, I became very concerned. This was to completely limit me from moving my head in any direction. All I could envision was me being at the bottom of the pile, and not being able to breath. I am not a claustrophobic person, but that was probably the closest I felt to being one. After telling my Mom about the proposed "strapping", she decided to take me to her chiropractor. She was unsure if he could help me, since he was treating her for her sciatic/lower back condition, but was willing to try anything. I was excited, since this was an avenue that I hadn't heard of. I knew nothing about chiropractic, or the controversies that surround it as a profession. When I told my coaches at our next practice that I would need to leave early to see a new doctor, they were elated. That is until I told them that he was a chiropractor. That's when they circled the wagons, and told me that those doctors are really quacks and witch doctors. They could never help me, but could kill me or paralyze me. Of course I became fearful. I was 17, and knew nothing about any of this. However, I thought about it, and though I trusted my coaches, I knew my Mom loved me, and would never put me in harm. Thus, I went to the chiropractor. He examined me, and told me that spinal bones in my neck had moved and were now pinching the nerves that went into my arms. When I would get hit, it would put more pressure on the spine, and further traction the nerve, resulting in re-injury and additional stress. After a series of treatments, my condition improved and the issues disappeared completely. That is why when it came time for me to choose which medical profession I would pursue, I elected chiropractic. I thought about emergency medicine, pediatrics, dentistry and podiatry, but choose chiropractic because it made such a difference in my life. My senior year of high school football was a huge success. I received top honors within my school, was elected as the scholar athlete of the year, and received my scholarship to play college football. That is why many chiropractic physicians say they didn't choose chiropractic, it choose them. Without the intervention of my Mom's chiropractor, I wouldn't have experienced or met many of the people and situations in my life, and I would definitely be a different person today as a result.

Demystify Stress

Are you pulling your hair out because of too much stress at work or at home? Relax! Here’s some tips to combat your stress. Recognize your stress. The first step in managing stress is to recognize its attitudinal, behavioral and physical signs.

Many highly stressed people are unaware of the messages their bodies are giving them. Be aware of individual stressors and unique symptoms of stress.  Charlotte headaches, neck pain, shoulder tightness and lower back pain that feels like a tangled mess are common symptoms of stress.  When you ignore the signals, physical changes in your biomechanical structure can lead to more serious problems.   Regular spinal care by your Charlotte chiropractor, can reduce the physical wear and tear caused by stress.  On a regular basis, ask yourself what aspects of your personality, job or private life cause you to feel stressed. Make a note of how you show the early warning signs of stress.

• Monitor your pace. You need to regularly examine the pace of your life. Are you trying to do too much? Does your life offer too little stimulation? Setting realistic limits on work and social responsibilities is essential to stress management.

• Practice relaxation techniques. Friends and family provide a temporary but important break in a period of stress. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, self-hypnosis, progressive muscle relaxation or biofeedback techniques take just a few minutes and can be done in any quiet place at work.

• Develop an exercise program. Exercise is one of the best stress-reduction strategies available. It provides cardiovascular benefits, helps control weight, boost energy levels and includes relaxation. Your program doesn’t need to be strenuous or time-consuming to be effective.

• Practice good nutrition. Sound eating habits help you resist certain diseases and survive stress. A simple plan would be to moderate intake of fat, sugar, salt, calories and caffeine and to consume recommended portions from the four basic food groups.

• Socialize with people other than co-workers. For some, work is the exclusive source of socializing. While friendships with co-workers can be enjoyable and relaxing, associating only with work colleagues can be detrimental because of the tendency to talk shop.

• Develop a network of social support. Everyone one needs someone who can be approached, trusted and depended on. While family members typically fulfill this role, they do not always provide the social support necessary for coping with stress. In some cases, the family may be the source of the stress.

• Moderate life changes. Too much change, unexpected change and uncontrolled change produce stress. Where possible, anticipate and pace your major life changes. While it may be impossible to control all life’s changes, we can pace certain decisions with stress-management goals in mind.

• Practice time management. Stress management and time management go hand in hand. People feel stressed when they lose control of their time. Setting reasonable goals, planning ahead, establishing priorities, scheduling tasks, resisting interruptions, delegating work and avoiding perfectionism are all effective time-management techniques.

• Protect leisure time. Sometimes people structure their free time as much as their workday. Hobbies and social life should not be as taxing as a job. Unstructured leisure time is more relaxing than a tightly schedule itinerary. A little idleness each day and some larger blocks of unplanned time for spontaneous activity on the weekends is essential for relieving tension.

Before you allow stress to affect your life in a significant way — possibly leaving you in extreme pain and/or disability, let us help. As a Charlotte chiropractor, it’s been my experience, that in its early stages through even the most chronic stages, stress can be managed effectively and efficiently with regular conservative care and education.

For more information about managing stress including upcoming workshops, you are invited to call ProHealth & Wellness at 704-583-6129.

Welcome to the ProHealth & Wellness Blog.  I will enter interesting and exciting posts each week to keep you informed about the latest in improving your health, as well as information regarding our office.  Feel free to leave us your comments and feedback.  Take care, and remember, "It's Your Future...Be There Healthy!"

-Dr. Clare

 

For Our New and Up to Date Blog - click the link below

  http://drtimclare.blogspot.com