Gerber Chiropractic

Good Nutrition May Ease Chronic Inflammation . . . Even from Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is essentially an inflammatory disease caused by an adverse reaction by our own immune systems. The pain, discomfort and limited range of motion we feel is physiologically caused by inflammation, which is the major focus of RA treatment. In this regard, there are certain foods that RA patients can consume to reduce inflammation and at the same time soften the side effects of some medications.

There are no less than 6 based on the concept that diet can reduce chronic inflammation.  Nutritionists routinely recommend to RA patients and others with inflammatory conditions the following foods to help fight the harmful effects of inflammation and improve their overall health:

Citrus Fruits

Juice from oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and tangerines is loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants that not only help to reduce swelling but also promotes healthy ligaments and tissue. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for men is 75 mg and 90 mg for women. The best way to get the benefits from citrus fruits is to consume small amounts throughout the day; to this effect, grapefruit juice is perfect to drink during breakfast and oranges are great for snacks.

Berry Fruits

Aside from being delicious, strawberries and blueberries are similar to citrus fruits in their high antioxidant compounds that fight inflammation. A daily serving of berry fruits is recommended for those who live with RA.

Whole Grains

Pure wheat and other grains that have not been thoroughly processed are very nutritious and rich in vitamin E, which has been linked with helping reducing arthritic pain. The key to incorporating whole grains to our daily nutrition is to replace dietary staples such as white rice, pasta and white bread with wild rice, brown pasta and wheat bread.

Pineapples & Papayas

Fruits that are rich in enzymes, like papayas and pineapples, are recommended to RA patients for their ability to reduce swelling and pain. Pineapples contain the powerful bromelain enzyme, which is a staple of natural medicine. A bowl of fresh-cut pineapple cubes in the morning or as a mid-day snack is a great source of enzymes and vitamin C, and many Asian-fusion recipes call for pineapple slivers or juice to add a zesty flavor.

Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is a very important staple of Mediterranean cuisine. In countries like Greece and Italy, olive oil was once used as currency. Researchers have looked into the healing properties of olive oil by studying the diets of Mediterranean people who seem to be less susceptible to inflammatory diseases. The key to olive oil seems to be in compounds that act similar to ibuprofen.

Ginger

In many Asian countries, ginger is taken in lieu of aspirin and ibuprofen, two medications that are familiar to RA patients. Just like with olive oil, ginger supplements seem to have a direct effect on inflammation, but they may also contribute to blood thinning just like aspirin; for this reason, ginger should be taken in moderation.

According to experts, more research is underway (and necessary) to determine how much of any of the compounds in anti inflammatory foods would have to be eaten to derive the benefit(s).  That being said, we can all agree that eating well is not known for making any health condition worse!

Your Health . . . It’s Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

Swim Season is Here . . . Take Advantage of It

The benefits of swimming are endless. When the weather is perfect or even if you have access to indoor pools, the health, recreation and athletic benefits of swimming help a variety of individuals dealing with injuries or weight loss. This list of reasons to swim will make you jump in the pool quicker than you can say "cannonball!"

Low Impact

There are no issues with ground impact when you are in the water. If you want to protect your joints from any type of stress, swimming is the best way to do so. Older individuals, injured athletes and overweight persons are able to work out without suffering any damage. The Arthritis Foundation recommends water activities for these benefits, and they even sponsor classes. Water aerobics are especially popular because you can use a floating device to make it even easier to work out in the water.

Swim for A Lifetime

Since there aren't the same impact issues as with running or walking, swimming can continue from youth to senior age. There is even a swimming competition with an age bracket for people between 100 and 104 years old!  (www.usms.org)  Jack La Lanne not only recommended daily swimming, he did it and lived to be 96  years old.

Improves Cardiorespiratory Health

Swimming also helps you build endurance. One study showed that middle-aged men and women who led very sedentary lives were able to swim train for 12 weeks, improving oxygen consumption by 10 percent and the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat (stroke volume) by 18 percent.

Increase Muscle Mass

Another study followed men who finished an 8-week swim program. A nearly 24 percent increase was found in triceps muscles, which are the back muscles in the upper arms. If you don't have a lot of experience with resistance training, it's easy to start building this muscle mass in your arms, too.

Awesome for Injuries

Water allows for no impact exercise, which is great for individuals who have suffered any type of injury particularly to the feet, legs and back. Swimming can help injured persons stay in shape because swimming in water provides natural resistance to make muscles work harder.

Swimming is also a great, fun family activity.  And while we are on that topic, compliments of www.GetHealthyClarkCounty.org, here are the ABC & D's f drowning prevention:

Simple Rules to Stay Safe Around Water
•    A = Adult Supervision
•    B = Barriers (for your pool)
•    C = Classes (swim lessons and CPR)
•    D = Devices (personal flotation devices (PFD's), life jackets, and rescue tools)

More helpful information can be found on their website.

Lastly, it is always a good idea to check with your healthcare professional before starting any exercise regimen.  And please read our Medical Disclaimer while applying sunscreen . . . or even now.

Health & Wellness . . . You're Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

 

Doctor, Where Does Low Back Pain Come From?

From time to time, most people experience some low back pain. It’s not uncommon because the lower back supports most of the body’s weight. Sadly, we often hear questions about sources of low back pain only after medications and back exercises failed to adequately treat the problem.

When these remedies for low back pain fail to relieve the symptoms of pain, it can be helpful to consult a chiropractor. Chronic lower back pain can be a result of many spinal conditions, including herniated discs, facet disease, bone spurs, degenerative disc disease and sciatica. Lower back pain can also be the result of a sports injury or vehicular accident. Symptoms can include radiating pain, numbness, tingling or loss in range of motion. Bending and stretching may be limited by low back pain.

Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation to properly align the body’s musculoskeletal structure to enable the body to heal itself. They use a high-velocity, short lever arm thrust to improve functionality and reduce nerve irritation. Manipulation is used to restore mobility and helps heal injuries to tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Sometimes, chiropractic treatments are used in conjunction with traditional medical treatments. Some chiropractors use prolotherapy or sclerotherapy to treat low back pain. These therapies involve injections of anesthetic or sugar water to strengthen the ligaments in the back. In addition to treatments in the office, chiropractors recommend specific back exercises to be done at home and advise patients of proper ergonomics for daily activity.

Chiropractic treatment is a popular choice for many Americans. Approximately 22 million Americans visit chiropractors every year. Chiropractic treatment has a high success rate, and many patients are able to live life again pain free.

Your Health . . . It’s Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

Chiropractic Care Can Relieve Pinched Nerve Pain

Have you ever experienced numbness or tingling in your limbs? What about an inexplicable sensation of heat or cold? Any of these symptoms may indicate a pinched nerve.

A pinched nerve is a painful condition that can curtail your ability to engage in the activities that make life worth living. It's difficult to enjoy coffee with a friend, take a jog or even clean the house when you're experiencing sensations of pain, numbness or tingling. So exactly what is a pinched nerve, and what causes the condition?

Generally, the medical community labels any irritated nerve as a pinched nerve. Sometimes the painful and unusual sensations are only felt in one part of the body, such as the neck. In other instances, a pinched nerve in the neck may cause uncomfortable sensations in the hands and fingers. Sciatica is also an example of a pinched nerve. With this disorder, a nerve in the lower back becomes irritated, but the sufferer feels the painful symptoms in one of their legs.

Pinched nerves happen most frequently along the spine and are sometimes the result of a vertebral misalignment or arthritis. Sometimes pinched nerves come about as the result of a traumatic accident or simple overuse.

Of course, not all pinched nerves happen along the spine. Your body has nerves reaching to every extremity, touching every organ and major system. Carpal tunnel is essentially the result of a pinched nerve, as is peroneal palsy.

While a pinched nerve can be painful and keep you from doing things that you enjoy, there may be relief for you in the form of chiropractic care. As chiropractors, Dr. Kate and Dr. John Gerber will delve into your health history, looking for the source of your discomfort and seeking ways to relieve it. Many of our patients have experienced significant relief of pain caused by a pinched nerve through chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic care is a useful tool that can help you lead a more active life and treat the source of any discomfort you may be experiencing, such as from a pinched nerve. Let Gerber Chiropractic help you discover the possibilities of pain free living.

Health & Wellness . . . You're Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

Frozen Shoulder: Questions & Answers

The term “Frozen Shoulder” is often used synonymously with the medical term Adhesive Capsulitis. Frozen Shoulder is a term generally used to a stiff and/or painful shoulder.  Adhesive Capsulitis is a more specific term used to describe shoulder stiffness and pain caused by tightening of the joint capsule.  To patients, even these definitions can be confusing.

Adhesive capsulitis occurs in 2% to 5% of the general population. More women experience it than men, and most sufferers are over 45 years old.

Sometimes adhesive capsulitis can be linked to specific causes such as injury, surgery, arthritis, rotator cuff tear, bursitis, or tendinitis.  It can also be caused by an auto immune reaction to inflammation of the lining of the joint with or without cause.  Often, however, adhesive capsulitis starts with no traceable reason.

Risk factors can include repetitive shoulder movement (occupation or sports related), poor posture, trauma, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cervical disc disease, open heart surgery and even post-surgical immobilization.

Typically, frozen shoulder develops slowly in stages, each of which can last a number of months. 

First, there is the painful stage.  In this stage, pain occurs with almost any shoulder movement, and range of motion starts to diminish.

Next comes the frozen stage. Pain may or may not diminish slightly and the shoulder becomes stiffer.  Range of motion decreases notably during this stage.

Finally comes the thawing stage. Pain starts diminish (but may or may not go away completely) and range of motion begins to improve.

Most estimates range from 12 to 15 months to get through all of the stages.

Can anything be done to reduce the time and pain associated with this condition? Yes! Early diagnosis and prompt, effective treatment are the keys to reducing the pain and regaining range of motion more quickly.

If you are experiencing shoulder pain for any reason or for no reason or at all, contact Gerber Chiropractic. We’re here to help.

Your Health . . . It’s Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

Gerber Chiropractic Treats Shoulder Pain

If you've ever suffered from shoulder pain, you know it can interfere with virtually every aspect of your life. Shoulder pain is very common and can stem from a number of different causes. Fortunately, shoulder pain often responds well to chiropractic care. However, before beginning treatment, it is important that your chiropractor pin down the actual cause of your pain.

Many Causes of Shoulder Pain

The human shoulder is an amazing and unique joint. No other joint has as great a range of motion as the shoulder. This amazing mobility is largely due to the four rotator cuff tendons that connect your shoulder muscles to your bone. A number of injuries and conditions can cause shoulder pain.

Is My Pain Serious?

It can be difficult to know whether shoulder pain is the result of ordinary soreness such as the pain that often accompanies exercise, or if it is a sign of something more serious. Seek the advice of a healthcare practitioner if you have any of the following symptoms:

-- Difficulty lifting or using your arm.
-- Pain that persists.
-- Difficulty or inability to lift your arm above your shoulder.
-- Pain during rest.
-- Other symptoms related to the shoulder that you have not experienced before.

Causes

Due to the complexity of the shoulder, conditions that cause shoulder pain often include tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, rotator cuff tears, labral tears, adhesive capsulitis, and a dislocated or separated shoulder.

How Gerber Chiropractic Can Help

Your shoulders are exposed to a great many stressors. As a result, they can be resistant to rehabilitation. Enervation of the muscles near the upper spine can be beneficial in helping resolve shoulder pain. Chiropractic adjustments are effective at enervating these muscles and can help your body to correct imbalances and weakness in the muscles that result from instability in the joint. This is crucial, since failure to correct muscle imbalances often causes the shoulder joint to become misaligned again.

Adjustments correct misalignments that cause pressure that can lead to shoulder pain and increase range of motion, relieve pain and reduce stiffness. In addition to adjustments, your chiropractor may provide other non-invasive, drug-free treatments to relieve your suffering, such as hot or cold therapy, massage, physical therapy or traction.

A Proven Holistic Approach

As chiropractors we will treat your entire shoulder to increase its strength, stability and range of motion. We will help you improve your overall health, which might include nutrition and exercise. This approach helps to get you back on the road to recovery as quickly as possible. Contact Gerber Chiropractic today and begin the healing process. 

Your Health . . . It’s Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

Patient Intake Forms . . . Now Online

Always striving to improve our patients' health and simplify their lives, we are pleased to announce our Online Patient Intake form. 

Just click on the image below to get started.

Feel free to email comments.  As always, at Gerber Chiropractic we welcome your feedback.

Scroll down to enjoy our latest Health & Wellness blog post.

 

Exercise Eases the Pain of Osteoarthritis

People who suffer from knee arthritis often don't get enough exercise, according to a new study. The natural response to painful joints is to stay off them and let them heal, and in most cases, this instinct is a good one. However, exercise is one of the best ways to manage the pain of osteoarthritis and with the help of chiropractic care, to maintain and improve mobility.

Unfortunately, 56.5 percent of women involved in the study and 40 percent of men got less than 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week. "Physical activity for people with arthritis is a key to better health, without question," according to Dorothy Dunlop, associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Still, she acknowledges that exercise isn't always easy for victims of osteoarthritis. "They are dealing with pain and stiffness and barriers to being active."

Dunlop's study, which appears in the August issue of "Arthritis & Rheumatism," followed 1,111 adults ages 49 to 84 who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee. Subjects were tracked for a week, and their activity was measured using accelerometers. Dunlop offers some advice for getting started: "Walking is a wonderful exercise."

Although you should always get your doctor's approval before beginning any new exercise routine, Dunlop suggests that you contact your local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation or your local YMCA for information on exercise programs, including water aerobics, designed for arthritis sufferers. Exercise videos for use at home can also be accessed from the Arthritis Foundation's website.

Skilled chiropractic care, as that provided by Gerber Chiropractic, can help to ease pain and stiffness and make it easier for you to take advantage of the benefits of physical activity. Contact Gerber Chiropractic to explore effective treatment of osteoarthritis.

Your Health . . . It’s Worth It!

Dr. Kate Gerber & Dr. John Gerber

Can Chiropractic Care Help Arthritis?

Arthritis is a condition plaguing thousands of people each day. It is one of the more common conditions that a patient presents with at Gerber Chiropractic. So what is arthritis anyway?

While arthritis affects more women than men, there are over 100 different forms which plague both genders.

By understanding the condition, and its causes, you can reduce your risks and see pain reduction.

The word arthritis is a combination of the Greek term arthro, which means joint and the Latin word itis, which means inflammation. Thus, arthritis means joint inflammation. There are two main types, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In osteoarthritis, which affects more than 20 million people, there is abnormal wear on the joints. This form is more common than others. Rheumatoid arthritis, often called RA for short, affects 1.5 million people and it is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system actually attacks the joints, causing the inflammation.

Both forms are very painful but rheumatoid arthritis is very destructive to the joints and the surrounding ligaments, bone and cartilage. It affects the smaller joints found in the hands and feet, or in others where there is multiple joints in symmetrical patterns. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that usually affects the spine, hips and knees, where the body most commonly feels the strain of weight.

What solutions are there for this condition? One option you may not realize you have is chiropractic care. This type of treatment helps those who have both forms, especially osteoarthritis, however this does depend on the location and severity of the condition...