Author: Craig Howenstine

Supporting Expecting Families Through a Healthy Birth

Bottom Line:

With all of the advancements in medical science, it may come as a surprise to you to learn that mother nature may very well know best when it comes to supporting a successful delivery for expecting mothers.

But when you think about it, maybe not.

After all, a woman’s body is designed to support and nourish a baby, the natural delivery process is relatively simple, and it’s been going on for hundreds of thousands of years!

So, what do you need to know as an expecting mother or member of an expecting family?

Read on.

Why it Matters:

In order to keep labor and birth as safe as possible, and to minimize the risk of complications, it is essential to respect the simple, natural, physiologic process of delivery.

That’s something our team knows all too well, and a big reason pregnancy and chiropractic care are suited for one another.

The use of intravenous lines, continuous monitoring, and restricted movement can increase a woman’s overall stress levels which, in turn, can potentially interfere with the natural birthing process.

In other words, there are other ways to support an optimal delivery.

The World Health Organization recommends four best care practices to support a healthy birth.

Here’s a brief overview…

• The WHO recommends letting labor begin on its own, as inducing labor can increase the risk of complications.
• Next, the WHO recommends women move and change positions throughout labor to help it progress and potentially shorten the amount of time spent in labor.
• The WHO also recommends bringing in a loved one or doula for support to help both improve the birth experience and potentially reduce the likelihood of C-section.
• Finally, the WHO recommends avoiding interventions that aren’t necessary such as continuous electronic monitoring which hasn’t been shown to provide better outcomes for the baby and may increase the risk of C-section.

Next Steps:

Having a child is a special time for an expecting family, and no decisions should be taken lightly.

It’s essential to understand and respect our body’s natural ability to navigate the process.

And if you’ve been looking for a holistic pregnancy chiropractor in Mount Pleasant, know that our team is here to empower our patients and their families to create the birth experience that makes sense for them.

We’re proud to work with midwives, doulas, and OB-GYNs in this community to help those of you navigating pregnancy do just that through education, adjustments, massage, and more!

Pregnancy and chiropractic care go hand in hand, and our supportive team would be honored to be a part of your wellness team.

What Expecting Families Need to Know About NSAIDs and Medications

Bottom Line:

While expecting mothers may have a glow about them, they’re unfortunately no less immune to body aches and pains than the rest of us.

In fact, it’s estimated that over 85% of women will deal with back pain at some point during and likely after their pregnancy.

And if there’s one thing we’ve learned in years of treating pregnant patients, it’s that finding relief without the use of over-the-counter and prescription medications is possible – and absolutely probable.

Here’s a quick overview of what your expecting family should know about pregnancy and medications and pregnancy and chiropractic adjustments.

Why it Matters:

It’s likely that you or an expecting mother you know have had their doctor caution that no medications should be taken without checking with them first.

It’s no secret that all medications come with some level of side effects, and these are often heightened during pregnancy.

Some medicines aren’t safe to take when a woman is pregnant, even those that are available over-the-counter.

For example, there have been preliminary studies that suggest over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and other common NSAIDs may increase the risk of health challenges in newborns such as asthma and gastrointestinal problems, respectively.

The good news is that there is good news on this front.

Pregnancy and chiropractic adjustments go hand in hand’

The low back and other pregnancy-related pains that women often experience during pregnancy can usually be relieved with spinal adjustments.

To recap a few of the key points here…

• NSAIDs cross from mother to baby easily through the placenta and can influence the production of prostaglandins.
• Recent studies suggest that taking NSAIDs can increase the risks of asthma and hypertension in newborns.
• Chiropractic care is a safe, effective, and non-invasive way to manage pregnancy-related aches and pains.

Next Steps:

Yes, talking to your doctor about medication use before becoming pregnant is a smart idea.

And if you or a loved one close to you anticipates becoming pregnant, it’s smart to be proactive with your health and explore natural ways to stay active and pain-free during your pregnancy.

As a trusted pregnancy chiropractor in Mount Pl17easant who specializes in natural pain relief solutions, we can help.

Whether you’re ready to come in and start receiving chiropractic care or you’d like to stop in to get your questions answered, our expert team is just a phone call away.

We’d be honored to serve you and yours for trimesters and years to come!

Why Expecting Families May Want a Chiropractor on Their Wellness Team

Bottom Line:

Did you know it’s been estimated that over 85% of women experience back pain during pregnancy?

If that number caught you by surprise, here’s another question for you.

Did you know that as an expecting mother enters her second and third trimesters, their baby is pulling their center of gravity forward which causes the curve of their low back to increase?

Now that number is probably making more if not absolute sense.

We know that most expecting mothers will experience some level of increased stress on their low back, and that increased stress often leads to back aches and pain

So, what pain relief options are available for treating these pregnancy related pains?

Read on (especially if you’ve been looking for a chiropractor who treats pregnancy back pain in Mount Pleasant.

Why it Matters:

We have one last question for you to bring this full circle.

Did you know that spinal adjustments are considered a highly safe, effective, and evidence-based option for the care of pregnancy related aches and pains?

Odds are you did, and that’s why you’re here – to learn how chiropractic can help with pregnancy pain.

We can confirm, you’ve come to the right place.

What’s more is that in addition to gentle and non-invasive adjustments, chiropractors have the know-how to provide personalized pregnancy stage and condition specific exercise and stretching recommendations to help mothers successfully manage their pain.

And get this.

A recent study found that patients who received care from their OB-GYN and chiropractor had greater reductions in pain and improved quality of life than those who only saw an OB-GYN.

Here are some key points to remember as you consider chiropractic care…

• It’s estimated that 92% of women are advised by their doctor to exercise while pregnant.
• Choosing the right pillows and finding the best stretches can dramatically reduce neck and mid-back pain during pregnancy.
• The mechanical low back pain that women experience during pregnancy can often be relieved with spinal adjustments.

Next Steps:

We’ve got one last key statistic to share regarding how chiropractic can help with pregnancy pain.

It’s estimated that nearly 90% of women report having a high level of satisfaction with chiropractic during pregnancy.

It’s no wonder that chiropractic is one of the most popular healthcare choices for expecting moms!

So, if reducing your stress, staying physically active, and reducing aches and pains interests you or an expecting mother close to you, then you’ll want to consider having a chiropractor as a part of your growing family’s birth team.

Our expert team is standing by, and we’d be honored to serve you.

Key Ways Expecting Families Can Benefit from Chiropractic Care

Bottom Line:

A woman’s body undergoes many transformations during and after months of pregnancy.

Some of these changes are easily recognized, such as an expanding abdomen and episodes of morning sickness, while others less well known.

In fact, some common physiological changes can catch expecting mothers by surprise.

Why it Matters:

Before we dive into those changes, let’s start with the basics.

Throughout a woman’s pregnancy, the hormone relaxin is produced to help loosen the joints and ligaments of the pelvis in order to prepare the body for delivery.

And while relaxin relaxes (hence the name) the ligaments in and around the pelvis, it also does the same to other joints and ligaments all over the body.

This is one reason expecting mothers tend to develop back pain or sciatica symptoms (pain that starts in the back and then travels down the leg and into the foot).

It’s probably another reason you’ve been researching the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy you’ve heard about.

And all the while a baby continues to develop and grow, and that beautiful baby is pulling the pregnant woman’s center of gravity forward.

So, at any point during and after a pregnancy, that woman’s biomechanics, balance, and posture are in a constant state of flux, and these changes can place a lot of stress on the supporting structures and muscles in the low back.

Let’s recap…

• Relaxin is a hormone produced during pregnancy to relax the joints and ligaments to prepare the pelvis for birth.
• Relaxin also causes the other joints and ligaments of the body to “loosen” which can cause changes in a woman’s normal movement patterns.
• These altered movement patterns can often lead to low back pain and other joint pains throughout pregnancy and after.

If pregnancy is a part of your life in some way, know this. Taking steps to prevent and treat back pain can help reduce the risk of injury and the chances of developing long-term back pain.

That’s where we come in.

Chiropractic is a safe and all-natural option for the care of back pain before, during, and after pregnancy, and our entire team is here for you.

Next Steps:

Pregnancy is both a special time in a woman’s life and a unique time for their body.

The changes that help facilitate a successful delivery can also wreak havoc on that mother’s back and joints.

So, if you or someone you know is experiencing pregnancy related back aches and pains and looking for natural and non-invasive pregnancy chiropractic care in Mount Pleasant, give us a call.

Whether you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy, we’d be honored to help.

We’re also happy to work with your expecting family’s birth team to provide the safest and most effective care to keep everyone active and feeling their best throughout all three trimesters and beyond!

Beyond the Pill: Non-Opioid Care for Chronic Pain

If you’re dealing with chronic pain, now is the time to tackle it naturally.

But how do you deal with chronic pain without using opioid pain medication?

Are opioid alternatives for pain management actually effective?

Allow us to answer that with a resounding YES!

One of the problems with pain medications is that they only treat the symptoms – they aren’t doing a thing to resolve the source of your pain.

If you are looking for a long-term solution, the cause needs to be addressed.

Altered biomechanics, or movement patterns, tend to be a common issue for many people dealing with chronic spine pain.

Why It Matters:

To get things moving on the path towards relief, we have found a lot of success with a plan that typically encourages a couple of core components.

First, we incorporate whole body movement with daily exercise.

It may seem impossible to get out and get active when you’re dealing with chronic pain, but it may help you see some relief from your symptoms! For example, if you’re dealing with chronic back pain, regular walks can help relieve the stiffness and soreness of back pain.

Next, we add specific, targeted chiropractic adjustments.

Chiropractors are an excellent resource for anyone who is dealing with chronic pain.

New research has shown chiropractic care is at least as effective at relieving pain as many medications, without the risks or dangers associated with drugs.

The likelihood of filling an opioid prescription is reduced by over 50% for people who see a chiropractor.

Next Steps:

You don’t need to keep struggling with chronic pain.

Researchers have found that chiropractic care and targeted active exercise can effectively address the cause of your pain to best reduce your symptoms.

If you or someone you know has struggled with chronic pain, please reach out to us at our holistic pain management clinic in Mount Pleasant today.

Our expert team is standing by to help provide you with options for relief that don’t include the dangerous medications that have created the current opioid epidemic.

Opiates vs. Opioids: What’s the Difference?

Opiates vs. opioids – while they come from different sources, they are similar in a very specific way.

Both opioids and opiates have caused millions of people looking for pain relief to enter a cycle of addiction.

And the truth is that many of the people who are currently addicted to opioids weren’t recreational drug users looking for their next high…

They were people who were prescribed these drugs by their doctors to treat their chronic pain.

Why it Matters:

To understand more about how this addiction epidemic happened, it’s helps to understand the differences between opioids and opiates.

Opiates describe drugs derived from the flowering opium poppy plant.

Morphine is an example of an opiate.

These drugs have been linked to physical dependence, increased tolerance, and addiction.

Opioids are synthetic or made in a lab.

When opioid receptors in the brain become activated, they produce feelings of pleasure and pain (all opioid drugs act on these receptors).

Some are up to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

It goes without saying that these drugs are highly addictive and dangerous.

Opioid drugs used to treat pain include oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Oxycodone exhibits the highest risk of abuse and poses the most significant dangers.

It affects the nervous system in the same way as heroin.

Next Steps:

Current medical guidelines no longer recommend the use of opioids for most spinal pain.

If you’re struggling with pain, movement-based care, like chiropractic, is often the best way to accelerate the healing process and put yourself in a position for long-term relief.

Both the research and results we’ve seen at our drug-free pain management clinic in Mount PLeasant don’t lie.

Call us today if you want to explore a relief path that doesn’t include medications.

The Chronic Pain Crisis is the Opioid Crisis

For decades, opioids were marketed as a “safer” alternative to treat chronic pain.

And as the number of people seeking care for chronic pain began to rise, so did the number of people filling prescriptions for highly addictive opioids.

If you’ve ever wondered “What is the opioid crisis?” – that’s the simple answer.

However, what many don’t realize is that what we currently refer to as the opioid crisis started as a chronic pain epidemic.

Why it Matters:

Over the past few years, major healthcare agencies have recognized that non-pharmacological approaches should be the first line of care to manage chronic pain.

The best way to combat the opioid crisis is to focus on non-pharmacological solutions to the chronic pain epidemic.

And recent studies have indicated that there are more than a few reasons to be hopeful.

These studies have shown that non-drug treatment options, such as chiropractic, can be very effective at helping people reduce the development and recurrence of chronic pain.

Even study participants with severe chronic pain reported experiencing significant benefits from the chiropractic care they received.

Next Steps:

While we can’t undo the damage that has been done, we can learn from the past.

This recent and unprecedented shift to a primarily non-pharmacological based approach to pain management is a start.

And if you’ve been looking for a pain chiropractor in [your city / town / neighborhood], look no further.

Our practice is proud to partner with other healthcare providers who support a natural approach to pain management.

We’ll work together to overcome your chronic pain without the dangerous side effects and addiction issues others have experienced with opioid medications.

The Opioid Crisis: How Did We End Up Here?

If you make it a habit to watch the news, you’ve probably wondered on more than one occasion “How did the opioid crisis start?”

Well, the answer might surprise you.

About 30 years ago, there was a fundamental shift in medicine regarding how pain was understood and treated.

The number of people with chronic pain seemed to be rising, and it was thought that the options to address the pain weren’t adequate.

Why it Matters:

As doctors paid more attention to assessing pain, they also paid more attention to treating pain.

Enter opioids.

Opioid medications began to be prescribed more and more frequently for chronic low back or neck pain.

Surprisingly, up until then, opioids were only prescribed for severe pain after surgery or advanced-stage cancer.

But that all changed in the early 1990’s.

New opioids formulas were promoted as being less addictive, and physicians were encouraged to prescribe these drugs far more liberally than before, including for the care of chronic pain.

Prescribing these drugs very quickly created and exposed a number of problems.

Healthcare professionals noted how rapidly patients adapted to the drugs, meaning larger and larger doses had to be prescribed to sustain those promised pain suppressing effects as time went on.

That, of course, indicated these drugs weren’t very effective at addressing chronic pain.

They provided short-term relief, but they seemed to become less useful for many people as time went on.

What’s more, the euphoric feelings often associated with these drugs put it’s users at a high risk for addiction.

Next Steps:

Now, some 30-odd years later, we are witnessing an opioid crisis.

If there is a silver lining to be found, we as a collective now realize that the answers and treatment of chronic pain are rarely found in a bottle.

Many leading healthcare organizations are now recommending non-pharmacological approaches to treating chronic pain including chiropractic.

If you would like to explore a drug-free approach to pain relief, schedule an appointment with us today.

As the leading natural pain doctor in Mount Pleasant, we have the tools and know how you’ve been looking for.

Our doors are always open, and we’re here to help!

Organic Healthcare: No Prescription Necessary

Bottom Line:

 

Did you know that chiropractors and holistic chiropractors are one and the same?

 

The term chiropractic comes from the Greek words cheir (hands) and praxis (practice).

 

It literally means “done by hand,” and chiropractic is among the most popular health treatments sought by those seeking holistic healthcare in Mount Pleasant.

 

Since the beginning, chiropractors have been focused on helping the body heal itself naturally without the use of prescription medications or invasive surgeries.

 

In some ways, chiropractors were the world’s first ‘organic” health professionals!

 

And while modern chiropractic began way back in 1895, many people still don’t exactly understand how chiropractic care works… or when it makes sense to see a chiropractor.

 

Let’s start with the basics.

Why it Matters:

If you’ve been living with aches and pain, it’s often connected to distorted movement patterns that affect your neuromusculoskeletal system – your brain, nerves, muscles, bones, joints, cartilage, tendons, etc.

And those abnormal movement patterns can happen for a variety of reasons that range from long hours at a computer and repetitive stress to sudden injuries.

Correcting those abnormal movement patterns with gentle, safe, effective, and non-invasive treatments is where chiropractors shine and why you shouldn’t hesitate to seek holistic healthcare in Mount Pleasant from a chiropractor if you’re in pain.

For many, a few targeted adjustments to the affected joints can help reset any distorted movement patterns which in turn can make a significant impact on their overall pain levels, mobility, and well-being.

 

In one recent study, researchers observed a measurable improvement in the biomechanical and functional performance in low back pain patients immediately following adjustments.

 

Participants were able to both move and complete tasks more efficiently and freely and with less pain.

 

In yet another study, researchers found that chiropractic care was associated with significant improvements in health-related quality of life over time, especially in pain.

 

Chiropractic Care is Holistic Healthcare

 

It’s important to point out that chiropractors – aka, holistic chiropractors – follow a whole person approach.

 

It’s not all about the adjustment.

 

For example, chiropractors perform a comprehensive history and examination during your first appointment.

 

This helps us determine what may be the result of any spinal issues and it also gives us the important information we need to advise you about simple lifestyle changes that have the potential to help you find lasting relief from other symptoms and boost the results of your care.

Let’s take a moment to recap…

 

 

● Abnormal movement patterns, chronic stress, and an inflammatory diet can often cause aches and pains in your spine and joints.

● Our care plans are designed to help you reach your health goals as quickly as possible.

● Adjusting the joints of your body can both help to decrease your pain and increase your functional ability.

 

 

Next Steps:

 

Many of our patients made the decision to contact a holistic chiropractor because their health goals are focused on staying active and pain-free, naturally.

 

If that sounds like you and you’ve been curious about your holistic healthcare options in [your city / town, neighborhood], call us today!

 

Chiropractors use several safe, non-invasive, non-pharmacological treatments including lifestyle education, adjustments, massage, and even exercises to help you get and stay well.

 

And you can rest assured that our care plan recommendations will be based on both our findings and your personal health goals.

 

We work together with you, from identifying and addressing the cause of your symptoms to finding practical, natural long-term resolutions.

 

We’re here for you, so don’t hesitate to give us a call to get started today!

Your Body is Designed to Move

Bottom Line:

 

Your body is built to move and the benefits of movement for your body are immeasurable.

 

Every spinal disc and every individual joint was designed to help you sit, stand, run, and do everything in between.

 

That’s a big part of why we provide functional movement tests in Mount Pleasant – to help ensure every part of your body is moving the way it was designed to so you can feel and function your best for as long as possible.

 

Really, think about it…

 

Your discs are soft enough to allow you to flex and bend in every direction.

 

Your facet joints slide and glide in concert with one another so you can turn, twist, and extend.

 

Your vertebrae are connected by ligaments that support you as your push and pull.

 

Maintaining all those moving parts is important.

 

Your body is an incredibly strong, complex, and resilient system that both powers and is itself powered by movement and the benefits of movement.

 

In other words, motion is life and movement is medicine.

 

Here’s why.

Why it Matters:

 

Recent research has given us a glimpse at just how important movement is in our life.

 

For instance, it’s been observed that one of the benefits of movement of the spine is that it can stimulate and accelerate the body’s healing process, yet another reason that scheduling a functional movement test in [your city / town, neighborhood] is so important if you’re not moving as well as you once did.

 

In fact, movement is so crucial to the body’s healing process that even people who have spine surgery are encouraged to get up and move as quickly as possible after surgery!

 

Here’s how it all breaks down:

 

● All of the bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints of your spine are designed to support daily movement.

● Blood flow, strength, and flexibility are all enhanced through movement.

● Movement of the individual segments of your spine can also affect how you heal.

 

It’s been said, “you don’t get old then stiff, you get stiff then old.”

 

Take it from us, that’s the truth!

 

Functional Movement Tests, Chiropractic Care, and the Benefits of Movement

 

As you may have guessed, as chiropractors we believe in the innate ability of the body to heal itself and the very real benefits of movement, so we’ve been trained to work with just about every joint in your body in addition to those in the spine.

 

Adjustments are just one of the non-invasive tools we use to help get them back to moving at their best – limb by limb, joint by joint.

 

One of the top benefits of spinal adjustments is that they can help dramatically reduce your daily aches and pains – and that’s especially important since pain is the #1 obstacle that keeps many people from enjoying their favorite activities.

 

Another way adjustments can help improve your quality of life involves resetting any faulty movement patterns so that your body is working together and moving well as a whole, and that’s why we perform functional movement tests in our [your city / town, neighborhood] clinic.

 

Remember, move better, feel better!

 

In fact, in several studies, researchers observed that people receiving spinal adjustments reported a higher quality of life in general than those who weren’t – less pain, less down days.

 

To take that a step further, sport-specific performance improvements are yet another one of the fantastic benefits of movement powered by spinal adjustments.

 

Achieving optimal flexibility, biomechanics, range of motion, and movement are all reasons why many leading athletes get adjusted consistently as part of their training.

 

Whatever you do, chiropractic care can help you feel your best so you can do what you need to do and do what you love to do reliably for years to come.

Next Steps:

 

We believe that encouraging healthy movement and regular physical activity is a big part of our job as your wellness team.

 

So, if you have any questions about getting a functional movement test in Mount Pleasant or other stretches, exercises, and different ways to proactively stay healthy, don’t hesitate to ask!

 

And be sure to follow us on social media for even more great wellness tips daily.

 

We want to help you leverage the benefits of movement – whether you’re young or young at heart – so you can keep your spine and body feeling, moving, and functioning at their best for as long as possible.

 

We also encourage you to stay proactive with your health by making sure you have your next appointment scheduled.

 

And if it’s your first time visiting our practice, know that from questions to functional movement tests in [your city / town, neighborhood] to treatment, we’ll be here to help you every step of the way.