Mattress Advice From Your Chiropractor

October 15, 2010 by drburt

Many patients have been asking my professional advice on which mattress they should buy. There is not a definite answer for every patient. Every single one is going to need a different one in order to get a good night sleep for years to come. Below are some tips and tricks that you can use when buying a new mattress.

A mattress should provide uniform support from head to toe. If there are gaps between your body and your mattress (such as at the waist), you’re not getting the necessary support that your body requires.

If you do have back pain and your mattress is too soft, you might want to firm up the support of your mattress by placing a board underneath it. But do this just until the pain goes away; such firmness is not good for “routine” sleeping.
Every few months, turn your mattress clockwise, or upside down, so that body indentations are kept to a minimum. It’s also good to rotate the mattress frame every so often to reduce wear and tear.
If you’re waking up uncomfortable, it may be time for a new mattress. There is no standard life span for a mattress. It all depends on the kind of usage it gets.
Be aware that changes in your life can signal the need for a new mattress. For example, if you’ve lost or gained a lot of weight, if a medical condition has changed the way you sleep, or even if you have changed partners, it could mean that it’s time to find a new mattress that will accommodate those changes and help you sleep more soundly.
If you’re not in the market for a new mattress, and your current mattress is too firm, you can soften it up by putting a 1- to 2-inch-thick padding on top of it – usually available at mattress and bedding stores

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Patients Questions and Dr. Burt’s Answers #14-#18

October 8, 2010 by drburt

Do you think I have a concussion?

I was at cheer practice yesterday, and we were staging, and I guess I got hit in the face somehow. I don’t remember any of it. I barely remember anything that happened yesterday afternoon. I don’t remember the incident, or any of the rest of practice. It hurts a lot. I was knocked to the ground, I was told, and the next thing I remember is sitting on the ground holding my head.

It is still swollen a little, I’ve been dizzy since it happened, and it has been about 29 hours later, I still have a bad headache, even though I am on numerous ibuprofen, and I keep saying bazaar things. I am mixing up words, and saying things that don’t make any sense. I feel really dizzy still, and it is hard to concentrate, and I have a lack of motivation to do my work (when normally I used to do everything to the dot and on time. all a -student.) but now, I am irritable, and I feel confused. But I don’t know about what.
My mom won’t take me to the doctor, even though my coach thinks I have a concussion. She thinks “ill be fine”.

What should I do?

Answer:

In my professional opinion I think you most likely had a concussion. The only way to find out how serious is to go to a Hospital and get CT Scan done of your brain. Your mother must take your complaints seriously. If she does not listen, you must go to your school’s nurse and have her evaluate you. If necessary she will refer you out to a specialist. Dizziness, difficulty concentrating, confusion are all signs of a concussion. Please do not delay seeing a specialist ASAP.

I have a migraine, how do I get rid of it ?

Hello , I have a painful migraine . I got it today around 5:30 pm , it is now 7:52 pm where I live its not as painful anymore , now it feels like a regular headache but it still hurts and I want it to go away. We have no Advil or Tylenol in my house & my mom cant get any because she is sick as well .
Do you have any home remedies? or what ?
My birthday is Friday & I would hate for me to still have one .
I remember I had one migraine that lasted a whole week when I was little 🙁 & I hope it doesn’t happen it again .

So any home remedies ? Or what should I do?
Thanks.

Answer:

Since your mother is sick I assume she will not take you to a local Chiropractor to have your neck checked. At this point and time I would recommend you to educate yourself about migraine headaches – taking into consideration that it is migraine and you can use some stretches that will help to reduce the stress in the musculature of your cervical spine. Please read the following

1. Exercises For Cervical Strain

2. Headache Secrets Revealed and Chiropractic Care

3. C1 Vertebral Level and Chiropractic http://bit.ly/aIqkiQ

4.C2 Vertebral Level and Chiropractic http://bit.ly/cVFc8r

How To Get Better Sleep?

Every time I wake up, I always have a stiff neck. I have tried to lessen the amount of pillows…same result, even if I sleep with 10 pillows it is still stiff in the morning. I have also tried icing it down while I sleep. Please help. Thanks a lot!

Answer:

This is an advice that I usually give to my patients who have similar problem. Your pillow width must match the width of your shoulder base. In plain English – junction of your neck and shoulder and junction of your upper extremity and a shoulder. The width of your of a shoulder base must match the width of the pillow width after you place your head on it. This will insure that your cervical spine is in neutral position all night long. Neutral position of the cervical spine will insure that you don’t have a sore neck in the morning or during a sleep. It would be a great idea if you could go see a local CMT for your strained muscles

How to get rid of constipation?

I am always constipated and its really annoying because I always feel like I need to go but can’t 🙁 I’m fed up of it now…I spoke to my doctor about it recently and she said that it is because of the pills I have taken but basically she didn’t care & just told me take a laxative. but I don’t really want to take them anymore because I was constipated for about a month not long ago and I took them everyday for about 1-2 weeks and they didn’t even work as well as they should have. It’s really embarrassing as well because every time I go my belly makes these really loud rumbling sounds *sighs. I eat so healthy I could never squeeze in anymore salad & veg but I also eat a lot of take always help?
Oh and I heard that drinking water helps is that true because barley drink more than a can of diet coke a day.

Answer:

First of all you need to stop drinking diet coke. Diet coke contains Aspartate (Artificial Sugar) which is known as damaging neurotransmitters in your central and peripheral nervous system. Plain water is the best way to go.

You must go see you local chiropractor and have your L1 Vertebral Level Checked. When the peripheral nerve at this vertebral level is not functioning properly one of the symptoms is constipation. Just remember there is a cause to every problem. Laxative is not a solution. Please read this post for better understanding of your problem –

Relationship of The Nervous System And Spine To Organs … read more

What is wrong with my ankle?

Ever since Saturday (it is now Wednesday) my ankle has been really swollen. I’m a runner and run anywhere from 3-5 miles daily. It also feels creaky when I try to roll it around, what is wrong? I’ve had lactic acid build up in the past, but it wasn’t like this, could it be the lactic acid again? Should I stop running on it? Because I was told that you should keep exercising when you have lactic acid build up…

Answer:

Swollen ankle usually indicates that there is sprain or strain of the soft tissue in your ankle. It usually happens to runners. I would suggest that you go see a local Chiropractor who has Physical Therapy modalities and Certified Massage Therapist as a staff member.

Please read this post – Ankle Injury and Rehabilitation Options …read more

Cycling – Lower Back and Neck Pain

October 6, 2010 by drburt

Your body contacts the bicycle in three areas; your hands, your seat, and your feet. The relative positions of feet, seat and hands determine your comfort and efficiency on the bike. There are several variables that determine these positions; crank length, distance from crank center or bottom bracket to saddle, saddle angle, seat tube angle and saddle offset, distance from saddle to handlebar, relative height of saddle and handlebar width, and handlebar drop on road style handlebars. When these measurements are not taken seriously into consideration, pain and fatigue is inevitable during the ride.

Lumbar and Cervical spine pain is experienced very frequently by cyclists, and it can have numerous different causes. The most common cause of any type of biking ache is owing to an improper bike fit. After having your bike professionally fit which can be completed at professional bike shops and some chiropractic offices, use the following guidelines to create any essential adjustments:

1.Moving your saddle backwards could aid to reduce lumbar spine and knee pain but might increase neck and shoulder tension.

2.Handlebar height reduction could improve lower back and hamstring muscle stress nevertheless may trigger increased neck and shoulder stress, and hand numbness.

3.When the saddle is set too high, cyclist becomes unstable and the hips might rock slightly from side to side, placing a strain on the muscles that stabilize rider’s lower back. A leg length difference could produce a comparable kind of dilemma, which can be detected during a chiropractic exam.

Another cause of lower back pain is the tension placed on your spinal discs, joints, and muscles because of the continuous forward Position of cyclist. To neutralize these postural stressors, appropriate stretching prior, throughout, and following riding is very important. Standing up during prolonged riding, as well as alternately bending forward and arching backwards, will help to relieve lower back stress. Tilting your head from side to side will aid to stretch out your neck muscles while riding, but keep your eyes on the road at all times!

The 3rd major cause of neck and lower back pain in cycling is due to the “Multiple Micro Whiplash” syndrome trigerred by the ROAD SHOCK of the constant jarring forces experienced during riding. The following recommendations will assist to reduce these potentially injurious forces:

•Increase your cycling work out slowly to appropriately condition your body.

•Use a wider tire with less of inflation to decrease road shock.

•Change your hand positions regularly and unlock your elbows.

•Use padded gloves and a light helmet.

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Nervous System, Spine And Its Relationship To Organs

August 10, 2010 by drburt

Nervous System, Spine And Its Relationship To Organs

Dr. Henry Windsor, who was a Medical Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, has performed a medical experiment in 1921. In his clinical research he wanted to proof the existence of diseased organs and its interconnection to the curvatures of the spine (improper posture and misaligned vertebrae). In this study he made experiments on 50 cadavers from the pathology department. Dr. Windsor dissected the bodies and looked at the diseased organs. Out of 50 bodies he found 139 organs that were in a different degree of disease. He found diseased kidneys, livers, pancreases, hearts, , gall bladders, lungs etc, etc. Dr. Windsor traced the nerve root of each diseased organ back to the spine and found out that 128 diseased organs from 50 cadavers had a relationship with the curve of the vertebrae or postural disturbances. These nervous system roots belonged to the same sympathetic segments as the diseased organs 128 times. 11 other diseased organs had different origin of a disease.

My previous posts: 96 Tips For a Perfect Posture and 11 Symptoms as a Sign of Warning That Your Spine is in Trouble are good prerequisite reading materials. Both of these articles go in depth about DOs and DONT’s on keeping your Posture in Check and what will happen to a spine if one will not take a good care of it.

Without the right signals from our brains, our organs cannot function at their optimum level. When a subluxation is present, musculoskeletal factors around one or more vertebrae interfere with the normal function of the nerves, affecting the nerves ability to transmit information from the brain to the rest of the body and vice-versa. Below is a list of 26 nerve roots that provide neurological supply to the vital organs and musculoskeletal system and the symptoms that associated with these nerve roots. Each vertebral Level will have a hyperlink to a 3D view of the relationship of the nervous system and spine to organs for a better visual understanding.

C1 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY: Blood supply to the head, the pituitary gland, the scalp, bones of the face, the brain itself, the middle and inner ear, the sympathetic nervous system

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Headaches, nervousness, insomnia, head colds, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, nervous breakdown, amnesia, chronic tiredness, dizziness or vertigo.

C2 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Eyes, optic nerve, auditory nerve, sinuses, mastoid bones, tongue, forehead

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Sinus trouble, allergies, crossed eyes, deafness, eye trouble, earache, fainting spells, certain causes of blindness.

C3 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY :Cheeks, outer ear, face bones, teeth, face bones, teeth, trifacial nerve

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Neuralgia, neuritis, acne or pimples, eczema

C4 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Nose, lips, mouth, eustachian tube

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Hat fever, catarrh, hard of hearing, adenoids, runny nose

C5 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Vocal cords, neck, glands, pharynx

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Laryngitis, hoarseness, throat conditions like a sore throat or quinsy

C6 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Neck Muscles, shoulders, tonsils

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Laryngitis, hoarseness, throat conditions like a sore throat, stiff neck, pain in upper arm, tonsilitis, chronic cough, croup

C7 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Thyroid gland, bursae in the shoulders and elbows

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Laryngitis, hoarseness, throat conditions like a sore throat, bursitis, colds, thyroid conditions

T1 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Arms from the elbow down, including the hands, wrists, fingers, also the esophagus and trachea.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Asthma, cough, difficult breathing, shortness of breath, pain in lower arms and hands.

T2 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Heart, including its valves and covering, coronary arteries.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Functional heart conditions and certain chest conditions.

T3 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Lungs, bronchial tubes, pleura, chest, breast

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, congestion, influenza.

T4 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Gallbladder, common duct.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Gallbladder conditions, jaundice, shingles.

T5 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Liver, solar plexus, circulation (general)

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Liver conditions, fevers, blood pressure problems, poor circulation, arthritis.

T6 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Stomach.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Stomach trouble including: nervous stomach, indigestion, heartburn, dyspepsia.

T7 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Pancreas, duodenum

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Ulcers, gastritis.

T8 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Spleen, diaphragm

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Lowered resistance, hiccoughs

T9 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Adrenal and suprarenal glands.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Allergies, hives

T10 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Kidneys.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Kidney troubles, hardening of the arteries, chronic tiredness, nephritis, pyelitis.

T11 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Kidneys, ureters

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Skin conditions such as acne, pimples, eczema, boils.

T12 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Small intestine, lymph circulation

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Rheumatism, gas pains, certain types of sterility

L1 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Large intestines, inguinal rings

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Constipation, colitis, dysentery, diarrhea, some ruptures or hernia

L2 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY: Appendix, abdomen, upper leg.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Cramps, difficult breathing, minor varicose veins.

L3 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Sex organs, uterus, bladder, knees.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Bladder troubles, menstrual troubles such as painful or irregular periods, miscarriages, bed wetting, impotency, change of life symptoms, many knee pains.

L4 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY: Prostate gland, muscles of the lower back, sciatic nerve

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Sciatica, lumbago, difficult and painful or too frequent urination, backaches.

L5 AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Lower legs, ankles, feet

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Poor circulation in the legs, swollen ankles, weak ankles and arches, cold feet, weakness in the legs, leg cramps.

Sacrum AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Hip bones, buttocks.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Sacroiliac conditions, spinal curvatures.

Coccyx AREAS & PARTS OF BODY : Rectum, anus.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS: Hemorrhoids (piles), pruritus (itching), pain at end of spine on sitting

Below is the summary in a SlideShare Presentation that I have created when I was in Chiropractic School. This Presentation has some additional useful information.

RELATIONSHIP OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SPINE TO ORGANS from Eduard Burt, D.C., MUAC

Questions: Have You Had Any of the Above Mentioned Symptoms and Medications Were Not Helpful at All? Has Your Doctor Referred You to Other Health Care Practitioners in Order to Improve Your Health? Have You Checked Your Posture Lately?