Headaches, Chiropractic, and Smoke Detectors

Headaches may be 'Common', but this doesn't mean that they should be considered 'Normal'

Health issues like heart disease, obesity, and diabetes are commonplace in our society. Being common doesn’t mean it’s a ‘normal’ part of a healthy person. Similarly, headaches and migraines are common for many people. This doesn’t mean it should be considered ‘normal’ to a person’s health.

Like most things in life, the cause of a headache is different for everyone. Technical classifications, symptomatology and characteristics of the various types of headaches get incredibly detailed. Often, people don’t fit into neat, tidy headache classifications. To simplify things, I’ve found, based on experience and research, headaches are usually caused by 4 things:

1.  Irritation of normal nerve flow to the head and neck.

2.  Irritation of normal blood flow to the head and neck

3.  Muscle tension in the neck causing one or both of the above

4.  Chemical toxicity in the body

5.  Any combination of the above

The first three causes are almost always related to the health of the cervical spine—especially, the upper portion of the cervical spine. This area of the spine is responsible for the nerves and blood vessels that travel directly to the skull and brain. When there are misalignments in the vertebrae of the neck, the vertebrae stop moving freely. This obstructed movement can directly impinge, or create muscle tension, which in turn irritates the nerves and blood vessels of the spinal cord that travel to and from the skull.

You’ve probably noticed: the human body is a very complex and intelligent mechanism. So much so, when our bodies are inflicted by a physical issue, they respond by creating pain signals—signals designed to catch our attention and insist we focus on whatever’s interfering with our body’s normal function. If this important aspect of the nervous system didn’t occur, we would never be aware of our physical problems!

A symptom like a headache is your body's way of telling you there's an underlying problem!

This is what happens when you experience something as ‘commonplace’ as a headache. A deeper issue causes the nervous system to create a noticeable (and likely painful) alarm bell—a smoke detector, an ‘S.O.S’ signal, a not so gentle nudge—to let you know that a physical issue is compromising your body’s normal function.

 

When your body sends you a signal in the form of a headache, chances are an underlying cervical spine issue is the source. Chiropractic care can help let your nervous system know, you got the message.

Victoria BC Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith’s practice ‘Progressive Chiropractic’ is conveniently located on the corner of Shelbourne and McKenzie in the Gordon Head region of Saanich near UVIC and is the only chiropractic office in Victoria BC using low-level videofluoroscopy xray of the spine.

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Shoulder pain ? Why Chiropractic may help you shrug off your shoulder issue!

Often clients come into my office and their nagging shoulder problem that has been lingering and not improving for months or even years isn’t their main concern- usually their back is what brings them in and they have no idea that chiropractic could even potentially help their shoulder!

Many people aren't aware that chiropractic can potentially help shoulder injuries like repetitive motion injuries and those occurring in sport and the workplace

Quite often their story is something along the lines of a ‘sports injury’, ‘work injury’, or ‘repetitive motion injury’ that occurred months or years ago followed by some form of treatment that ‘helped a little’ but the unfortunate fact remains that the problem is just still there.

In the same way that the proper alignment of spinal vertebrae is crucial to spinal and nerve system health, the proper alignment of the bones and joints that make up the shoulder is just as important- and this is where chiropractic can make a huge difference.

The bones that make up the shoulder are the clavicle, scapula, and humerus.  When shoulder injuries happen, small misalignments of these bones at the joints that connect them can occur- just like they can in the spine!  When this happens, the muscles surrounding the shoulder often tense up and spasm in an attempt to keep the shoulder from further misalignment and injury, resulting in decreased range of motion, muscle soreness, pinching sensations, and nerve issues.

When shoulder injuries happen, misalignments of the bones and joints making up the shoulder can occur and cause major issue- just like the spine!

At my clinic shoulder issues are dealt with by:

- Looking at a client’s history to determine if the shoulder is safe to work on;

- Assessing the neck for subluxations (misalignments of spinal vertebrae causing irritation to the nerves going to the shoulders) and adjusting these back into proper alignment;

 

- Going through a protocol of testing muscles of the shoulder to determine where misalignments of the bones of the shoulder are;

- Adjusting these misalignments back into place;

- Working on muscular trigger points surrounding the shoulder;

It definitely it puts a smile on my face when over several weeks time, and sometimes after the first visit clients say things like “I can’t believe it, I finally have my ARM back!”, or ” I haven’t been able to move my arm like THAT in over a year!”  Results vary from person to person depending on many factor of course, but great results are common.

Maintaining proper alignment of ALL joints of the body can help ensure top performance in athletes

You don’t necessarily have to have symptoms to have the alignment of your shoulder assessed either.  For example, athletes can certainly benefit from making sure that not just their shoulders, but all the joints of their body are in proper alignment- from hips to wrists, knees, elbows, feet, ankles, and even jaws.  Chiropractic assessment and adjustment of all the joints involved in their sport will help ensure any athlete’s best performance.

So do you know an athlete, co-worker, relative, or could you even benefit?

Victoria BC Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith’s practice ‘Progressive Chiropractic’ is conveniently located on the corner of Shelbourne and McKenzie in the Gordon Head region of Saanich near UVIC and is the only chiropractic office in Victoria BC using low-level videofluoroscopy xray of the spine.

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Sciatica- A real pain in the butt: How chiropractic can help sciatic nerve pain and more

Sciatica can be a real pain in the butt- there's hope for you though!

Sciatica is a problem I commonly see people walk (or more likely hobble or limp) into my office with in varying degrees of severity, from a slight numbness or tingling of the legs or feet to what’s been described to me as “a lightning bolt pain in the..” (well- you guessed it).

So what exactly is happening ?

The sciatic nerve is about the width of your thumb, is the largest nerve in the body, and is made up of smaller nerves that leave the spinal cord of the low back, join together, and travel under the muscles of the buttocks and carries on down the legs.

I find that the pain experienced with sciatica is usually caused by the following:

A misalignment of the vertebrae of the low back putting pressure on one or more of these nerves leaving the spinal cord in the low back (caused by a single injury, or many small stresses on the spine over time such as poor posture while sitting).

A spasm of the piriformis muscle (one of the muscles in the buttock that the sciatic nerve passes under) putting pressure on the sciatic nerve itself (this is sometimes referred to as piriformis syndrome).

A pelvic misalignment causing one of the above (and caused by a single injury or many small stresses on the pelvis over time).

A combination of any of the above.

So what can be done about it?

The first priority in dealing with the pain caused by sciatica (or sciatic radiculopathy) is in finding out exactly where the issue is.  At my clinic this is done by using

Video xray helps identify where misaligned vertebrae are in the low back and how to realign them

video motion xray of the low back to determine which vertebrae are likely causing nerve irritation by observing which ones are misaligned, not moving correctly, in which direction, and making note of the direction the vertebrae must be moved to correct it.

Next the video or static (still xray) is used to see exactly how the pelvis is sitting structurally so that if there is some amount of structural shifting or tilting (misalignment) we can see exactly what this might be and how to correct it.

 

 

A thermal scan of the skin of the back is used to track the improvement of nerve system function throughout the healing process to really make sure that the adjustments I’m giving are making a positive impact (apart from how the individual is feeling!)

Notice the amount of heat (represented by red) given off in the low back area before and after treatment

Besides giving very specific chiropractic adjustments meant to realign the spine and pelvis I will usually include assisted stretching of the piriformis muscle in case it is a partial cause of the problem and to improve flexibility in the affected area.

How long will it take to feel better?

Many people feel great improvement even after one visit, however the vast majority of people improve slowly over the course of a period of care depending on the overall health of their spine, their general health and well-being, and how long they’ve had the issue or related issues.

What’s the bigger picture for your health?

Nerves that leave the low back (the lumbar spine) make up the the sciatic nerve but nerves leaving this area ALSO supply messages from the brain which control digestion, the sexual organs, the urinary bladder, the colon, sensation to the skin in this area, the muscles in this area, etc.

Spinal nerves from the low back have a number of very important functions- which is why the health of the low back is so important!

Misaligned vertebrae in this area could very well be affecting the health and function of these other organs- by putting pressure or irritation on the nerves supplying them- all the more reason to find the root cause of the problem, fix it, and keep it that way!

Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith’s practice ‘Progressive Chiropractic’ is conveniently located on the corner of Shelbourne and McKenzie in the Gordon Head region of Saanich near UVIC and is the only chiropractic office in Victoria using low-level videofluoroscopy xray of the spine.

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Why ‘Wellness and Corrective’ Care?

Every day I enjoy the opportunity to help someone toward achieving their health goals, but some days the fruits of the combined effort of myself and my patients are quite evident.

Yesterday was one such day in which several patients who had completed both their “Initial/Intensive” 5 weeks of care and their initial phase of “Maintenance/Corrective chiropractic care” were reassessed.  The results were all unique to the patient but there was a common theme with all of them- a slow but steady improvement in their overall quality of life and a steady improvement in their ‘objective findings’- (their Infrared Thermal Scan, and Video Xray) which reflect improved function of the body’s nervous system.

While MOST people experience a huge upswing in their general well-being in the first 5 weeks of care, my experience has shown me that those who stick with care to really correct their spinal issues (even after their first 5 weeks and the initial feeling of massive improvement has gone) experience a slow but steady improvement in their overall quality of life after the initial care phase.

While MOST people experience a huge upswing in their general well-being in the first 5 weeks of care, those who stick with care to really CORRECT their spinal issues usually experience a slow but steady improvement in their overall quality of life after the initial care phase.

A good example of this is a patient of mine who is an avid runner and aspiring marathoner.  When she started care she was held back from what she loved doing by the fact that a moderate half-hour jog would leave her with significant low back, hip, and knee pain that would have her popping over-the-counter painkillers until the pain subsided enough that she could run again.  Just last week she completed a challenging 14 km run with ease and no pain afterwards.  This same patient is also finding that she can sit at her desk and type for 8 hours straight without major issue- a task she would not have dared attempting even after her initial 5 weeks of care when she was doing much better and “feeling great!”

Does her spine look and move perfectly yet?  No.  Is it slowly improving along with her confidence and quality of life?  Absolutely!  And not only that, she is also taking an active role in her health- eating well, taking care of her spiritual/emotional health, staying active, and yes- doing the postural exercises I recommended to her every day.

To put it another way- would you only go to the dentist if you had a cavity?  Or would you only brush your teeth for 5 weeks and then wait a year before brushing again?  I would hope for your sake and for those around you the answer is “Of course not!” :)

Your teeth are important and your spine even more important- you wouldn't stop brushing after 5 weeks and so I recommend the same for your spinal care!

Now consider this- how much more important to your health is your spine and nervous system than your teeth?  (Not to downplay the importance of your oral health or those working in this field of course!)

That’s why I recommend ‘Corrective/Maintenance’ care for all my patients- because the story above is what I hope to see for all patients- an increased ability for them to live life and express life to the fullest potential possible for them.

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Take Charge of Your Arthritis – There’s Hope!
Action Step 2 to Gain Control of Your Arthritis: Omega 3 Oils

In Part 3 of our Series on How to Take Charge of Your Arthritis, we discuss the 2nd tip from Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith on what you can do to gain control of your arthritis and get well! Dr. Mark would be happy to come and speak about arthritis care to your seniors’ group, health group, or other group, please don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange a time!

Omega 3 oils

Within the last decade or so, the benefits of supplementing with omega 3 oils such as flaxseed oil, salmon oil, cod liver oil, and krill oil has been highly researched, and the evidence seems to suggest several possible benefits for those with arthritis:

Omega 3 Oils appear to have potential benefit for those suffering from arthritis

Omega 3 oils appear to:

  • Act as a natural anti-inflammatory in the body- reducing joint pain caused by inflammation and acting better long-term than over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or ‘NSAIDS’)
  • Reduce cartilage erosion in joints
  • Maintain and promote brain and nerve health

In addition, omega 3 oils appear to:

  • Help lower cholesterol levels
  • Help maintain the health of the skin
  • Help control depression and anxiety
  • Help maintain cardiovascular health
  • Have potential anti-cancer effects
  • Boost immunity in children

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to human health, and must be found in the correct ratio with omega 6 fatty acids in the diet- which we get plenty of in the typical north american diet.  It is believed that this ratio should be approximately 1:1, yet in the typical north american diet the ratio is approximately 1:20 of omega 3 to omega 6!  Omega 3′s are also found in some nuts, flax, fish, eggs, and certain green vegetables.

It is therefore recommended for people with arthritis to take approximately 400 mg/day of fish or salmon oil with a big meal unless you have a blood condition such as issues with blood clotting.  Taking the capsules at the beginning of a big meal can help prevent upset stomach or ‘fishy breath’ sometimes associated with taking fish oils.

With video motion xray of the spine, Dr. Mark is able to identify and show patients where arthritis is. He is then able to work on the affected areas with confidence.

Dr. Mark is often able to help patients with arthritis through chiropractic care by identifying exactly where the arthritis is and using specific chiropractic adjusting techniques to restore as much motion and realignment to the affected areas as possible.  This can often decrease muscle spasm, increase fluid flow in and out of joints, and relieve pressure and irritation from surrounding nerves, allowing the body to function better.

Stay tuned for our next article with a new tip on how to take charge of your arthritis!


 

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Take Charge of Your Arthritis – There’s Hope!
Action Step 1 to Gain Control of Your Arthritis: Water and Exercise

In Part 2 of our Series on How to Take Charge of Your Arthritis, we discuss the first tip from Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith on what you can do to gain control of your arthritis and get well! Dr. Mark would be happy to come and speak about arthritis care to your seniors group, health group, or other group, please don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange a time!

Arthritis Tip #1:  Exercise and water

As human beings we are genetically designed to get up and move- a LOT- regardless of whether you have arthritis or not.  In fact, we should be getting about 10,000 steps per day!  A step counter or pedometer (like the ones we have been handing out at the office for christmas) is a great way to keep track!

Movement and regular physical activity (every day for approximately 20-30 minutes) does several things to help maintain joint health and assist those suffering from arthritis:

Exercise and water helps pump fluid into joints and pump waste out!

  • Maintains muscular strength to support the joints and maintain joint alignment- this helps to prevent uneven wear and tear of the joints
  • Trains your nervous system to maintain your coordination, balance, and ability to prevent falls and injuries
  • Pumps fluid into joints and cartilage to keep joints lubricated and moves waste and metabolic by-product out of the joint
  • Causes the brain to release endorphins- which are natural painkillers and make you feel happy and help fight depression

 

 

SO aim for 20-30 minutes of physical activity per day (or 10,000 steps) and drink 1 ounce of clean, preferably filtered water for every kg of body weight per day! (or take weight in pounds, divide by 2 and drink approximately that many ounces per day)

Water is an essential nutrient to maintain joint health

Our society is becoming more and more sedentary, with 25% of Canadians suffering from obesity.  Increased body weight increases pressure and load on joint surfaces, making a bad situation worse if you have arthritis.  So don’t think of physical activity as something you ‘squeeze’ into a day- think of it as an essential nutrient for your body!

 

With video motion xray of the spine, Dr. Mark is able to identify and show patients where arthritis is. He is then able to work on the affected areas with confidence.

Dr. Mark is often able to help patients with arthritis through chiropractic care by identifying exactly where the arthritis is and using specific chiropractic adjusting techniques to restore as much motion and realignment to the affected areas as possible.  This can often decrease muscle spasm, increase fluid flow in and out of joints, and relieve pressure and irritation from surrounding nerves, allowing the body to function better.

Stay tuned for our next article with a new tip on how to take charge of your arthritis!


 

 

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Take Charge of Your Arthritis – There’s Hope! How Arthritis is Caused

In Part 1 of our Series on How to Take Charge of Your Arthritis, we discuss how Arthritis in the spine and other joints of the body is caused.  This series is an overview of a presentation by Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith to a local seniors arthritis group on what you can do to gain control of your arthritis and get well! Dr. Mark would be happy to come and speak about arthritis care to your seniors group, health group, or other group, please don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange a time!

Arthritis- How it happens:

Physical stresses over time create misalignments of spinal vertebrae. The body responds by locking up these vertebrae and eventually depositing calcium in areas of high stress

 

 

The cold weather during this time of the year seems to bear out many people’s health problems, including arthritis.  Compare it to how some cars don’t seem to start or run as well during the cold months- if that sounds like you or someone you care about, chiropractic care and the tips in the following article series may be a great option!

Degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) is often caused by injuries, repetitive stress, and bad posture over a period of time which create misalignments in joints- like shoulders, hips, and wrists- but especially in the joints of the spine!

Over time the muscles around the misaligned joint contract, decreasing movement and often creating pain due to muscle spasm.  Eventually ligaments begin to shrink and form scar tissue across the joint

The misaligned joint often leads to uneven wear and tear of the joint surfaces

In response the body deposits calcium in areas of high physical stress creating ‘spurs’ known as ‘osteophytes’

Decreased movement in the joint decreases fluid flow to and from the joint, creating a dehydrated joint- especially in the spine where intervertebral discs can lose fluid and begin to shrink- creating pressure on surrounding nerves

At the same time, the body starts decreasing the amount of cartilage it makes to replace old cartilage after age 40.  This means that eventually the cartilage in the joint that is being damaged isn’t being replaced fast enough to heal completely.

With video motion xray of the spine, Dr. Mark is able to identify and show patients where arthritis is. He is then able to work on the affected areas with confidence.

Dr. Mark is often able to help patients with arthritis through chiropractic care by identifying exactly where the arthritis is and using specific chiropractic adjusting techniques to restore as much motion and realignment to the affected areas as possible.  This can often decrease muscle spasm, increase fluid flow in and out of joints, and relieve pressure and irritation from surrounding nerves, allowing the body to function better.

Join us in our next article for the first tip Dr. Mark has for taking charge of your arthritis including how chiropractic can help!


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Happy Holidays from Progressive Chiropractic!

December is here, and with it we celebrate our clinic’s fourth month in operation!

Jake and Lena Solbakken put the finishing touches on our office Christmas tree

As a thank-you to all of those patients and friends who have supported us we would like to invite you to stop by our office (no appointment necessary) to pick up your complimentary Christmas gift (it’s a surprise but it will encourage you to be active throughout the holiday season) :)

 

 

 

Also, be sure to check your mailboxes (not email inboxes) for our christmas letter which

The Solbakken family decorating the office Christmas tree

we have sent out- it will explain how to use your special christmas gift as well!

Our clinic is also teaming up with Home Instead Senior care’s Santa for a Senior Christmas charity.  On our Christmas tree are unique, inexpensive gift requests for a Senior in need- take one of these requests for a senior off the tree, buy the gift and bring it in, and help give a senior in need a merry Christmas!

Happy holidays from Dr. Mark and the Progressive Chiropractic team!

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Your Health: Sturdy Through a West-Coast Winter

The shorter, gloomier, overcast days, fallen leaves and falling temperatures have marked the end of a summer long gone and the beginning of our Victoria winter.  For many, this also means participation in ‘cold and flu’ season.  No, our fair Peninsula is not immune to this yearly plague, despite our relatively mild winters.  While we consider winter green fees at the local golf course and 4 inches of snow is considered an anomaly, our Canadian cohorts in Winnipeg have snowblowers at the ready for the several feet of snow they can expect.

Why then are we still afflicted given our advantageous climate?

Getting sick this time of year has as much to do with the state of your immune system as it does WHAT you get exposed to

 

While it’s true that more people tend to harbour these common bugs during this time of year, the actual cause of sickness and symptoms lies deeper.  Just consider your co-worker in the cubicle next to you who never takes a sick day while just next door you seem to be at the mercy of every wave of infirmity being spread around.  Is your neighbour just ‘lucky’?  Likely not.  The unfortunate (and somewhat gross) fact is that they’re sharing the same air that you breathe out and vice versa.  By extension, they’re also being exposed to the SAME airborne particles (i.e. cold and flu germs) yet are not showing symptoms.  That’s because getting sick has as much to do with the state your immune system as it does to WHAT you get exposed to.

The cause is therefore more directly related to poor lifestyle habits around this year, despite our claim as one of Canada’s healthiest locales.  A typical winter evening on the peninsula does not revolve around an evening stroll, run, or landscaping session filled with sunshine and fresh air as it might in July.  More likely it involves sitting inside on the couch with some variation of spiked eggnog or a sugary, high-carbohydrate snack in hand while enjoying the new season of your favourite crime drama.  In addition is the inevitable lack of sunshine (and therefore Vitamin D necessary to support immune function), overeating of eating sugary, rich, high fat foods (which essentially stun immune function), decreased physical activity, and the stress of holiday planning, hosting, and gift-buying.

When combined it’s enough physical, mental, and chemical stress to make even the stoutest immune system want to go into hibernation- and it will if it must!

Poor diet, less exercise and sunlight, and holiday-related stress actually impairs the immune system during the holidays

 

The key is therefore lifestyle modification during this season.  Think to yourself what you’re doing differently in this season compared to the spring/summer and try to emulate your spring/summer routine as much as possible while supplementing your diet with Vitamin D3, B complex, and multivitamins.  Also consider seeing your chiropractor during this season to help remove physical stress and nerve irritation from the body so that you can function to your highest ability during this season and fight the cold and flu bug when you need to most.

Finally, remember that heaping unnecessary stress upon yourself is completely counter to the very reason for the holidays- a season meant for peaceful reflection and quality time with the ones you love. So make time to enjoy it, because if you don’t take time to slow down the cold or flu bug just might do it for you!


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New Videos Posted by Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith! – The value of Video xray of the spine

Progressive Chiropractic is the only Victoria chiropractor to offer this specific technology in order to identify spinal issues with as much accuracy as possible. The reason for using this is technology is in an effort to provide more accurate analysis and treatment for faster, and more efficient results.

Dr. Mark also shows and explains all video xrays to his patients so that they can be part of the educational process and have the confidence of knowing with the doctor where problems are in their spines and how they should be corrected.

Video of a patient of Victoria chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith getting video xray (videofluroscopy) of the neck (cervical spine) to help diagnose and treat back pain

A videofluroscopy (video x-ray) side view of the neck (cervical spine) while bending the head forward and back to assist with diagnosis and treatment of neck pain and restricted neck movement in the office of Victoria chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith

A front-to-back, straight-on videofluroscopy (video x-ray) view of the neck (cervical spine) while the head turns from side to side. This assists Victoria chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith in diagnosing neck pain and restricted movement

A front-to-back, straight-on videofluroscopy (video x-ray) view of the lower back (lumbar spine) while bending from side to side. Video x-ray assists Victoria chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith in diagnosing the causes of and treating lower back pain and sciatica.



By knowing exactly where the spine is misaligned and not moving properly, it’s easier to get to the root of the problem, improve the function of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system and help patients with issues such as:

  • Neck pain
  • Headaches/Migraines
  • Tinnitus
  • Low back pain
  • And many other neurological issues

If you have any questions about this unique technology please contact us at 250-590-7319!

Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Mark Smith’s practice ‘Progressive Chiropractic’ is conveniently located on the corner of Shelbourne and McKenzie in the Gordon Head region of Saanich near UVIC and is the only chiropractic office in Victoria using low-level videofluoroscopy xray of the spine.

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