Total Health Chiropractic Center

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Author Archives: Curtis Haake D.C.


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3 Secrets To Neck Pain Relief

Neck Pain

Neck Pain

Just about everyone has experienced neck pain and most causes of neck pain are not serious. Most neck pain starts out as a strained muscle in the neck or shoulder from postural or repetitive stress.

But for many the neck pain can progress over a few months to a few years and signify something more serious. If you experience any of the following with neck pain: numbness or tingling or strength loss into the arms or hands, bowel or bladder problems, inability to touch your chin to your chest, then seek medical attention immediately.

I you experience repeated neck pain or acute episodes that subside only to return again in a month or two you may be feeling degeneration happening to the joints in your neck with nerve irritation. Eventually this can turn into something more serious or even arthritis.

After a thorough examination a treatment plan can be created to get you back on track and teach you how to take care of your neck.

The three secrets to neck pain relief we address in our office helps with repetitive stress, postural support and exercises to help strengthen your neck. Download our 3 Secrets To Neck Pain Relief e-Book today. The e-Book is Free and contains some of the exercises proven to strengthen your neck and address your health crisis. This e-Book is not for self diagnosis and is to help you make an informed decision about you neck pain.

Dr. Haake


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What Stresses You Out

What Stresses You

Conflict exists all around us. Within all our lives conflict can be quite stressful. This stress can be physical or emotional strain and can build up over time or inundate us all at once.

Stress can be a performance enhancer or act as a performance killer. This demands we keep stress at a manageable level. Our physical and mental performance will react to stress in a good way when stress is manageable.

Positive Stressors

Some Examples:

* Setting and meeting small goals to make a deadline
* Taking a test
* Making difficult decisions with accurate information
* Completing a task while being evaluated

Negative Stressors

* Doing more with less
* Dissatisfied with work environment
* Poor financial state due to suffering economy
* Marital issues or death in the family

Coping Strategies

1. Perform a self-evaluation and determine if you have coping strategies to manage stress. Physical coping strategies can be a vacation or daily exercise.
2. Communication with your significant other / family or in the work force. This is one of the most important coping strategies. Communication can put things into perspective and reduce conflict.
3. Prioritize life’s issues. This puts things into perspective, can reduce anxiety and address potential problems at an early stage.

Regardless of how you decide to deal with stress it must first be recognized. Try to use positive stress as a motivator and recognize negative stress before it becomes out of control. If you feel life’s events out of control, help is available to address your unique and important needs.

Help is Available


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3 Secrets to Lower Back Pain Relief

3 SECRETS TO LOWER BACK PAIN RELIEF

If you are 18 to 80 years old then you have probably experienced some sort of lower back pain.  Back pain in general is the second most common cause of job related disability in the United States.  The United States Government statistics estimates Americans spend $50+ Billion dollars each year on back pain alone.

But when should you be concerned?  When if ever, is back pain acceptable?  If you have low back pain you should have a chiropractic or medical examination to assess it an then determine a treatment plan.  Low back pain has many causes, from a simple muscle strain to more serious condition.  Sciatica, lumbar disc herniation, osteoarthritis, internal disease, or even cancer is but a few causes of low back pain.

Let’s first distinguish the two different kinds of low back pain.

Acute Low Back Pain

 

Acute low back pain is more often associated with a trauma from a sporting event to sleeping on the couch.  Acute low back pain usually last a few days to under two weeks and does not limit your work or daily activities.

 

Chronic Low Back Pain

 

Chronic low back pain is progressive in that you felt it for a few weeks it got 90% better then keeps flaring up several times a year.  Chronic low back pain can persists for 2-3 months and is always in the “background.”  Arthritis, disc herniation, sciatica are common causes.

 

Neurologic

 

Most Low back pain has a neurologic cause.  Nerves run all through the spine, muscles, ligaments and around the joints.  Whether you strain a muscle, sprain a ligament or sprain a joint, acute pain that turns into chronic pain is probably more nerve related and re-occurring.

 

 

Your lower back pain has a cause and that cause is not “lack of Aspirin” or “I’m getting old” or “I’ve had too much exercise.”   I do not promote self diagnosis so I highly recommend a chiropractic or medical examination do properly diagnose the problem or true cause.  Research has demonstrated in lab studies that lack of joint motion over an extended time creates small incremental changes to joint surfaces and the joint fluid necessary for proper function.

Without proper joint movement then what attaches to and between them atrophies or degenerates.  This would be the ligaments; muscles and nerve tissue needed for proper movement which helps circulate nutrients to the joints in the first place.

In our Free eBook 3 Secrets to Lower Back Pain Relief, we discuss in more detail the 3 Secrets and give you 6 exercises proven to strengthen the core stabilizers of the spine.  These structures are responsible for 75% of lower back pain and when weakened can lead to more serious conditions; Disc Herniation, Spinal Stenosis, arthritis or internal disease.

The first secret is to admit there is a problem, and then get a proper examination to determine what the real cause for your lower back pain is.  IF you experience lower back pain that lasts more that 7 days, prevents you from working or walking, is accompanied by leg or foot numbness, or sudden weight loss…Get a chiropractic or medical examination to determine the cause, it could save you from early arthritis and future medical costs, and could even save your life!

I have helped hundreds of low back pain sufferers through chiropractic care and customized exercise programs. Our office, Total Health chiropractic Center has modern therapies such as cold Laser, flexion Traction, and Ultrasound to assist in soft tissue repair and healing.

Please download our Free eBook on 3 Secrets to Lower Back Pain Relief to learn more about your treatment options and possible exercises to help you live Happy, Healthy, and Pain-Free.

Dr. Haake


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Temptation in Health

Don't give in to temptation

Don't give in to temptation

Temptation

Sam Levinson, a humorist and author said, “lead us not into temptation.  Just tell us where it is; we’ll find it.”

We are all faced with temptation every healthy moment.  Your temptation may be complacency in your exercise program, it may be in your diet when you eat those ever tempting donuts or other gooey office snacks when you really no you shouldn’t.  Or, always eating seconds but feeling terrible after.  You get my point…

When I health coach employees at a company or individuals at the clinic temptation is an issue hidden in our behavior that leads to health issues.  I ask my patients to start to become aware of temptation and choices.  Ask yourself, what one thing can I change this week and stick to it?   Think about your choice, make it one you really feel connected to.  Write it down and post it at your desk or put it in as a daily appointment that comes up on your phone or computer every day for a week.  Maybe your change is to eat breakfast every morning, or one less cigarette a day. The goal here is to feel the desire to change, stick to it because you want to.  Setting a realistic goal, connect it’s outcome to not giving in to temptation.

So set one small,   daily goal to change one thing about your health.  After one month set another goal and you are on your way to living healthy and being healthy, I tempt you!

Let us know what your change was and how you did !

Curtis Haake D.C.

Health Coach


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Chiro-Life a Fantastic Health Program

Taping up to health

Taping up to health

Their is an estimated 34 billion dollars spent each year on health and wellness outside of mainstream medicine.  This does not even include all programs such as on-line gadgets and beauty products.  Some of these products and services have merits and are legitamate, in that these progrmas offer a health benefit  that outweighs an added negative health risk.

Before embarking on a health and wellness journey to better health, a person needs to match a product or service to current health status and more importantly your potential health risks.  This is a novel approach to improving your current and future health and offers a preventative approach to all health decisions.

The Chiro-Life program is just such a program.  It offers a health risk profile to see what a persons’ true health risks are and then options to minimize them, leading to a “health through prevention” model.  The Chiro-Life program has health coaching at its core with a web suite and monthly web seminars on key health topics to guide a person to achieve     amazing results in many aspects of health.

Lets say a person wants to lose weight and has tried dieting before with mixed results.  The Chiro-Life program can coach a person and fine tune diet and exercise recommendations unique to that person’s needs, and in real time.  The program offers tried and true methods to help manage diabetes, and other health conditions and encourages preventative exams and other medical intervention where applicable.  Lets face it, even in this information age a little guidance can go a long way. Continue reading →


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In Pain? How We Can Help!

Our Chiropractic Philosophy to your health crisis is designed to keep the joints in your body mobile, your muscles stronger and more flexible, and  return control of your health back to you…”it’s that simple”. 

Well for starters we address the cause of your health crisis, the spinal joint and it’s related nerve.  First and foremost we adjust the spinal joint to increase it’s mobility.  A mobile joint is healthy and does not irritate its related nerve.         
 
This allows the ligaments-muscles to move freely and become more flexible, stronger, and less atrophy of the related joint, nerve, ligament, and muscle.  You will experience less inflammation, spasm and pain, and feel more movement feel increased energy and vitality.  
 
“It’s as simple as that”   
We have helped hundreds of people with diverse health conditions. From athletes trying to improve their game and even helped people avoid costly surgery.  All by adjusting the spinal joint and it’s related nerve. 
 
So, not sure yet?  well give us a call and find out if we can Help You!
 
 
925-930-7902