Good Head Posture Will Help

What is “Good Head Posture?”

Have you ever noticed how many people have terrible posture? One of the most common faulty postures is called “forward head carriage” or “anterior based occiput.” Other terms are “hump back” or slouching. There are several reasons for this common postural fault. One is the weight of the head is, on average, approximately 10-13 pounds and if it’s positioned too far forwards, the muscles in the upper back and neck tighten up much more than normal, fatigue and become painful. Also, the muscles that attach to the skull have different degrees of strength. They also attach and pull at different angles, contributing to the common forward head carriage posture. The muscles of the chest are much stronger than those in the mid and upper back and tend to pull our shoulders forward. The following pictures offer a good view of both a faulty posture as well as a “good” posture. Notice the forward shift in the line in the pictures of poor posture and backwards shift in the good posture pictures.

As you can see, the weight of the head is back over the shoulders and the shoulder posture is appropriately positioned back in the image titled “Good Head Posture.”

Forward Head Carriage 

Good Head Posture

         




                  



          

          

 

 





Forward shoulders



Good Shoulders Posture

It is important to understand correcting Forward Head Carriage takes time – in fact, it takes a minimum of 3 month before this becomes an automatic new “habit.” Of course, it could take longer or, completely fail IF you are not VERY conscientious about CONSTANTLY reminding yourself to position your posture as shown above in the “Good Head Posture” image (above). An exercise based on this posture correction technique is performed by retracting your chin / head as far back as you can and holding that position for 5-10 seconds. Doing this multiple times a day, between the time you maintain a partial chin tuck (“Good Head Posture”) position will further facilitate the posture retraining process.

Dr. Cilea is president of Advanced Wellness, an integrated practice that offers chiropractic care, physical therapy, pain management, acupuncture and massage therapy. To find out if you are a candidate for their customized treatment approach call 732-719-8148 or visit www.advanced-wellness.net.

Health Update: Headaches

Headaches: Causes and Treatment

       Few conditions leave their victims as miserable and agitated as headaches.  There are many causes of headaches including stress, odors, bright lights, noise, fatigue, certain foods, hormonal shifts, allergies, as well as genetic predisposition.  With all the possible causes of headaches, it’s not surprising many people seek help from many different approaches such as conventional medical therapies like pharmaceuticals and injections.  Others prefer a non-drug treatment approach such as chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling.

Usually, there is not one specific cause of headaches so treatment can focus on various areas.  For example, muscles that attach to the base of the skull in the neck and upper back are often very short and tight, resulting in pressure or a squeezing effect on the surrounding nerves and blood vessels -- resulting in headaches.  Chiropractic treatment includes methods aimed at reducing the tightness found in the joints and muscles. One of these approaches is called spinal manipulation or “adjustments” where the joints in the neck are moved to restore motion and reduce joint fixations. By relaxing the muscles and tension between the joints, the nerves in the neck are less pressured which, in turn, can reduce headaches.  The top three nerves that exit the upper neck travel into the head and are often the culprit behind the onset of headaches.  The second nerve from the top is the one responsible for causing radiating pain over the top of the skull which communicates with other nerves sometimes causing the pain behind the eye.

Another chiropractic approach in the management of headaches includes soft tissue therapy where trigger points found in tight muscles are addressed through various forms of massage and mobilization methods.  Manual traction of the head and neck can also be highly effective in reducing the tension found in headache sufferers.  Exercises are often taught to the headache patient with significant benefits reported.  Some of these, such as range of motion exercises with and without resistance (example: pushing your head into your hand during neck movements) and posture re-training (chin tucks – reducing the forward head position), help address the limited motion problems of the neck. Cervical (neck) traction performed by placing a rolled up towel placed behind the neck while lying on the back so that the head can hang off the side of the bed can also be very helpful.  Another neck traction approach is the use of a unit that hangs off a door where water is placed in a plastic bag calibrated for weight for 15 minutes at a maximum tolerated weight. This can be of great benefit as it can be performed at home at your convenience multiple times a day or, as needed.

Other treatment approaches that chiropractic utilizes include stress management (such as biofeedback, relaxation instructions, meditation, visualization and others), diet modifications (as certain foods can trigger headaches), nutritional supplementation (such as fish oil, Vit. D, feverfew and others), and sleep restoration.

If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service.  We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR HEADACHES!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL (732)984-9597

ACUPUNCTURE AND MIGRAINES

Migraine attacks are severe headaches that last from 4 to 72 hours. The pain is often on one side of your head, throbbing and gets worse when you move. You may also have other symptoms, such as feeling and being sick or being extra-sensitive to sound or light. About 1 in 6 people who have migraines get what's called an aura. This can cause symptoms like temporary problems with your vision, or pins and needles or numbness in parts of your body. You may be more likely to get a migraine attack if you are tired, hungry or stressed, or eat or drink certain foods. Migraines are common. About 1 in 10 people will have a migraine attack in any one year and nearly 1 in 5 people will have an attack at some point in their life. Women are more likely to have migraine attacks than men.

How acupuncture can help?

Traditional acupuncture theory sees pain as being largely due to obstruction of the body’s vital energy or qi. Acupuncture needles are thought to act like switches in the body’s energy circuits, freeing up stagnant energy and getting it flowing.

Research has shown that acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment and also at least as good, if not better than, standard medical care for migraine. From a biomedical perspective, acupuncture can help in the treatment of migraine by:

• providing pain relief – by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, acupuncture leads to release of pain killing endorphins and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord.

• reducing inflammation – by promoting release of various biochemical substances.

• increasing blood flow in and around the brain.

• affecting the brain levels of a chemical called serotonin, which has various functions, including control of appetite and mood.

Traditional acupuncture takes a holistic approach to health and regards illness as a sign that the body is out of balance. The exact pattern and degree of imbalance is unique to each individual. The traditional acupuncturist’s skill lies in identifying the precise nature of the underlying disharmony and selecting the most effective treatment. The choice of acupuncture points will be specific to each patient’s needs. Traditional acupuncture can also be used as a preventive measure to strengthen the constitution and promote general well-being.

An increasing weight of evidence from Western scientific research is demonstrating the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating a wide variety of conditions. From a biomedical viewpoint, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system, influencing the production of the body’s communication substances - hormones and neurotransmitters. The resulting biochemical changes activate the body's self-regulating homeostatic systems, stimulating its natural healing abilities and promoting physical and emotional well-being.

by Dr. Maria Phillips, DAOM, L.Ac.

Research Proves Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture for Treatment of Infertility, Endometriosis, and Menstrual Cycle Disorders.
European Research Study proves that acupuncture increases pregnancy rates for women undergoing In-Vitro Fertilization. The study concludes that acupuncture seems to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after ART. This study has been reported on the national news and in US medical journals, prompting an increase in referrals from medical doctors for the use of acupuncture in IVF procedures.
Two groups totalling 160 subjects, each received a standard in-vitro procedure (IVF). One group, however, also received acupuncture therapy before and after implantation. The non acupuncture in-vitro group had a 26.3% pregnancy rate, while the group of women who received acupuncture showed a 42.5% success rate.
Acupuncture has been used to successfully treat infertility and menstural cycle disorders for literally thousands of years. While most modern research is set up to try to determine why Acupuncture works,
this German study demonstrates scientificically that acupuncture can improve pregnancy rates. This scientific proof is what American doctors have been waiting for to be able to confidently recommend acupuncture to their patients. Doctors in the Cleveland Clinic are already using these techniques with an 83% success rate.

Acupuncture Physician, Beth Hopkins-Acampora, at the Center For Natural Health here in Jacksonville, Florida has been using this procedure successfully improve pregnancy rates for client undergoing IVF treatments.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Science, over 6.1 million or 10 percent of women in the United States are diagnosed as being infertile, which is defined as one year of unsuccessful conception. Women who choose to conceive after the age of 35 have a greater chance of having medical difficulties that may result in infertility issues. Due to career choices, as well as other extraneous factors, which include dietary and exercise habits, years of birth control pill use and an increasingly stressful modern life, these numbers will likely increase and a greater portion of the population will be affected by infertility in the future.

The causes of infertility are vast and varied. Some of the main factors that may prevent successful conception include: lack of ovulation, poor quality of eggs, thin endometrial lining, poor quality and number of follicles, low progesterone, high follicle stimulating hormone, blocked fallopian tubes, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, adhesions, infections and stress.

In summary, acupuncture offers a cost-effective, safe, and comprehensive intervention for women who want to become pregnant. Acupuncture is proven effective for men and women who wish to prepare their bodies for conception, pregnancy, and delivery, even those who have not experienced difficulties with infertility. Similarly, women who do not wish to undergo IVF for a variety of reasons, also choose acupuncture as an effective mode of treatment. Finally, acupuncture can be integrated with ART to enhance effectiveness.
Acupuncture has been clinically proven to:
Enhance Egg Quality: Test results of clients who have undergone acupuncture have shown that the egg quality significantly improves.
Enhance the Quality of the Uterine Lining: A healthy uterine lining is necessary to help with embryo implantation and to grow a healthy baby. Acupuncture improves the flow of healthy blood into the uterus.
Reduce the Chances of Uterine Contraction After IVF procedures: Acupuncture relaxes the patient and the uterus so it won't contract and expel the fertilized egg.

by Dr. Maria Phillips, L.AC.
http://advancedwellnessacupuncture.com/