Most Common Winter Weather Accidents

Winter is in full swing here in Iowa. With the beauty of the season come a greater risk of winter weather related accidents. From accidents because of severe conditions to overindulgence or carelessness, winter requires caution and proactive measures.

Slip-and-Fall Injuries

Slipping on icy or snowy surfaces sends millions of people to the emergency room each year.  While it is best to avoid these hazardous conditions, here in the Midwest, that is often easier said than done.

Here are 4 tips to keep safe.

1.   Tread carefully –Take short and deliberate steps and move slower in icy or snowy conditions.

2.   Proper footwear – Choose your shoes or boots carefully, opting for a sturdy slip-resistant rubber treads to maintain good traction.

3.   Maintain balance – Keep arms free when walking to maintain your balance on unsteady surfaces.

4.   Exit vehicles carefully – When moving from your car to the pavement, make sure you have solid footing.

Shoveling

Back injuries because of shoveling are particularly common in the winter months. Weak core and back muscles, combined with improper technique are the perfect recipe for a strained back.

1.      Take it slow – Shoveling is not a competition. Pace yourself and be sure to give yourself plenty of breaks.

2.      Push instead of lifting – If at all possible, opt for pushing instead of lifting, twisting or throwing snow over your shoulder.

3.      Use an ergonomic shovel – These specially designed shovels are intended to help reduce the strain on your upper body while clearing snow.

4.      Lighten the load – If you have to lift the snow, don’t overdo it. Smaller loads will reduce the strain on your back and muscles.

Winter Sports

Falling or colliding during winter outdoor activities can create serious injuries. Head, neck and back injuries are common when proper care is not taken.

1.      Warm-up – Cold muscles are prone to pulls and strains. A quick warm up can do wonders to prevent injuries.

2.      Know your surroundings – Scan the area for any potential hazards including rocks, rough or uneven surfaces, trees and branches or sudden drop offs. Determine the best path to avoid these areas.

3.      Wear protective gear – Always wear appropriate protective gear when enjoying winter activities.

If you have been injured because of one of these wintertime activities, contact the team at Arndt Chiropractic Center to determine the best care plan for your care and recovery.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Different Age Groups

Preventative care in the United States is cheaper and easier for the patient. Yes, many patients skip their annual check-up and only roll into the doctor’s office when they have a serious problem. This is called reactive treatment or reactive medicine. In chiropractic care, many patients only make an appointment when they start experiencing severe pain that is too much to handle. With regular adjustments, you might never experience this sort of pain. Here are a few ways that chiropractic care at Arndt Chiropractic Center can help people of all ages.

Newborns - Chiropractic care for newborns is very soft and controlled. Rather than an adjustment, the treatment is more like a soft massage for the baby. Birth is painful for moms, but it can also leave 90% of newborns misaligned. This misalignment displays in the form of colic or failure or difficulty breastfeeding. By getting chiropractic care, these symptoms can be reduced or eliminated.

Kids - Did you know chiropractic care has been shown to prevent ear infections? If a couple adjustments a year prevents your kids from the excruciating pain involved with these infections, isn’t it all worth it? Other benefits include fewer sick days from school, better sleeping, improved mood, and less or elimination of bed-wetting. Many kids experience growing pains; chiropractic care can help reduce these pains and enhance a child’s flexibility.

Teenagers - The teen years are often when kids are growing quickly. This is when poor posture and back problems begin. Why not stop the slouch before it becomes a habit? Many teens are involved in sports or other extracurricular activities. By getting chiropractic adjustments, teens are less likely to become injured. If any injury does occur, chiropractic care will promote a quicker and healthier healing process.

Adults - Any untreated posture habits become more serious in adulthood. Adults spend long periods of time relatively inactive sitting at desks. Chiropractic care can treat insomnia, reduce headaches, prevent pain, stress, and depression. Make sure to get care during the adult years to ensure a healthier and happier body during the senior years.

Seniors - Regular adjustments on senior citizens can help prevent injuries and restore lost balance and coordination skills.

Arndt Chiropractic Center promises zero preventable harm, the highest quality of care, and complete transparency for patients. We treat patients of all shapes, sizes, ages, and conditions every day. Don’t wait until you need a chiropractor, come in and get adjusted before the pain starts! For more information, visit our website or stop by our office at 3359 Middle Road, Suite 1 in Bettendorf, Iowa!

Celebrate National Chiropractic Care Month with 5 Benefits

October is National Chiropractic Care Month. It is time in which the team here at Arndt Chiropractic Center considers why we are so fortunate to provide our patients with this type of whole body holistic medical treatment. We passionately believe in the benefits the chiropractic approach to medical care offers. With that in mind, here are five ways that chiropractic care can help you live a healthier life:

 

1. Stress Relief – When your muscular and skeletal systems are not in the proper position, it can cause both mental and physical stress on your entire system.  Chiropractic adjustments send a signal to the nervous system that the body is relaxed and properly aligned, giving you the ability to handle stressful situations more effectively.
2. Improve posture – Hunching over a screen all day, driving your car or just sitting at a desk can cause your posture to become compromised. Regular chiropractic adjustments can help align your spine and adjust tilting and curvatures. This can improve your posture which is beneficial not only for your overall stature, but also provides a positive impact on the neck, shoulders and spine.
3. Mood adjustments – Just as chiropractic adjustments help you tolerate stress more effectively, they can also help to elevate your mood. When your body is in proper alignment it is more balanced. This balance might help with chemical issues that cause depression, anxiety and even attention deficit disorder.
4. Improve your health – Chiropractic adjustments help remove subluxations that prevent the nervous system from functioning properly. This can interrupt the signals your body sends to the immune system to keep it functioning efficiently.  When your body is in balance, you can recover from illnesses more effectively.
5. Improve sleep patterns – Sleep related issues are a common complaint among adults and children alike. Many of these problems are related to pain, stress and body aches. Regular chiropractic care can help to alleviate and even eliminate these issues. Better sleep also makes you better able to handle stress and illnesses.

At Arndt Chiropractic Center, we offer patients a full range of holistic health services that treat the complete patient, including: 

• Chiropractic care
• Corrective exercises
• Lifestyle advice
• Nutritional counseling
• Massage therapy
• Radiology services
• Custom foot orthotics
• Physiotherapy
• Laser therapy

Come celebrate National Chiropractic Month with us and experience the healthful benefits of chiropractic medicine.

Avoiding Injuries this Fall

The arrival of fall means cooler temperatures, blustering winds, and falling leaves.  As the season changes, so do our activities. Now that autumn has arrived, the chores outside of the house are starting to multiply. While outdoor activities offer great exercise, they can also take a strain on the muscles and joints in your body. In order to protect yourself from injury, follow these tips while handling autumn chores:

Raking Leaves – If you don’t own a leaf blower, you will likely be outside raking leaves within the next couple of weeks.  Before you start any activity, make sure you know the proper techniques in order to avoid injury. Start by stretching your back, arms, legs, and neck to prevent straining. While raking, keep your legs apart with a slight bend for good support and always lift using your legs. Hold the rake with one hand on the top of the handle and the other with the elbow slightly bent. Overall, avoid any activity that you think might cause tension to your body.

It might help to divide your yard into sections and tackle raking over several days.   Also remember that wet leaves are heavier than dry ones. You will save time and energy by raking dry leaves on a calm day rather than a windy day when leaves are blowing around.

Ladder Injuries – Between gutter cleaning and stringing up holiday lights, there are numerous reasons to step up on a ladder this season. Ladders pose a serious threat if they are not used correctly. To ensure safety, inspect the ladder before using it, always face the ladder, be careful when climbing, do not stand on the bucket shelf, choose the right ladder for your activity and place it in a sturdy spot. In addition, always have someone spotting your ladder with his or her full attention.

If you do suffer from injury or pain, contact the professionals at Arndt Chiropractic Center. We will examine your muscles and joints to help determine the problem and find a solution. For more information, contact Arndt Chiropractic Center at 563-332-2211.

“Back To School” Backpack Safety

With August upon us, it’s time to think about back to school season for your little ones. For both children and adults alike, a backpack is a great way to carry books and other items in a practical way.  Unfortunately, a heavy backpack can cause back pain, muscle strain, spine distortion and other health problems after prolonged use.

A heavy, poorly constructed backpack or the way it is carried can strain muscles and joints. Here are some simple ways you can reduce the chance of back pain for the whole family!

Invest In A Proper Backpack:

How will you decide what backpack is right for you or your child?  Choose a backpack crafted from lightweight materials, padded shoulder straps and a padded back, hip strap to redistribute weight, and plenty of individualized compartments.  If your child allows it, try a rolling backpack that takes the weight off the back and is easy to pull.

Wear The Backpack:

Slinging a backpack over one shoulder is never a good idea.  In order to properly distribute the weight, always used both shoulder straps, wear on the back, and adjust the straps to fit snugly against the body.  When loading a backpack, pack the heaviest items first so they are carried lower on the body.  Also, fill compartments so the load is evenly distributed.

Lighten The Load:  

To reduce and prevent the onset of back pain, the American Chiropractic Association recommends the weight carried in a backpack be less than 10% of body weight.  Only allow your child to carry necessary books and school supplies.  If their backpack is too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher about handing out lighter school materials and books.

At Arndt Chiropractic, we offer a range of chiropractic services to reduce stress, increase function, decrease pain and improve your overall well-being.  Our chiropractic team is experienced with back pain, neck pain, headaches and muscular tightness. Any questions about backpack safety? Contact Arndt Chiropractic Center at www.arndtchiropractic.com or call 563-332-2211 for all of your chiropractic needs.

Using Chiropractic Treatment to Alleviate Bulging Disc Symptoms

If you’ve been diagnosed with a bulging disc, chiropractic care can help manage the symptoms. Oftentimes, bulging or herniated discs don’t cause any symptoms until they press on a nerve or the spinal cord. At that point, they can begin to cause shooting pain, numbness and tingling, and muscle weakness. Chiropractic treatment aims to relieve pressure on the problem area, thus alleviating these painful and bothersome symptoms.  

Bulging discs are most often treated with non-surgical interventions at the outset, in the hopes of avoiding costly surgery and recovery times, making chiropractic care an attractive choice for many. Chiropractic care is nonsurgical and drug-free, and takes a holistic approach to the whole body. A chiropractor can advise patients on posture, lifestyle habits, nutrition and supplements, exercises, and ways to reduce the effects of stress on the body.

Chiropractic adjustments cannot put a disc back into place, but they can go a long way to managing the painful symptoms. Bulging discs occur when the outer layer of the disc deteriorates, resulting in the inner layer becoming displaced. The disc may become compressed between the edges of the vertebrae, or press against the spine. Chiropractic adjustments can create more space between vertebrae, lessening the pressure on the disc. Chiropractic care can be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy or massage therapy. Some forms of chiropractic adjustments that may be used to manage bulging disc symptoms include:

• Flexion-distraction: this manipulation is a classic chiropractic method that lengthens the spine, decompressing the pressure on the disc.
• Pelvic blocking: involves changing a patient’s posture in the office to move the disc off the nerve.
• Manipulation under anesthesia: this form of treatment occurs under a short duration of anesthesia, when the spine and the surrounding muscles are at their most relaxed.

Before performing adjustments, a chiropractor will want to verify your diagnosis with an exam, medical history, and possibly x-rays or imaging studies. As always, please consult your physician before beginning a new treatment for any condition.

Located in Bettendorf, Iowa, Arndt Chiropractic Center is a Quad City Times’ Reader’s Choice Award winner, and proudly serves the Quad Cities area. For more information or to make an appointment, visit www.arndtchiropractic.com or call (563) 332-2211.

Wellness awaits you!

Using Chiropractic Medicine to Treat Migraines

Anyone who has suffered from a migraine will tell you how debilitating the condition can be. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, it is an issue that affects 38 million Americans annually, with nearly three quarters of those who suffer being female.

Migraines are characterized by intense pressure and throbbing in the head and neck, blurred vision, an inability to tolerate loud noises or bright lights as well as nausea and even vomiting.  They can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days. During the onset of a migraine, sufferers often report a flashing light sensation or an “aura” effect.

Like other headaches, doctors are not sure what brings on a migraine. However, some triggers can be environmental pollutants, high stress situations, lack of sleep, odors, changing weather patterns, alcohol, chocolate and even dairy products. Another possible cause of migraines could be a misalignment of the vertebrae that irritates the nerves traveling the length of the spine to the brain.

Some other ailments that are often associated with migraines include neck pain, family history, nasal congestion or sinus issues and known triggers similar to those noted above.  The onset is often before the age of 30 and can become less severe as sufferers reach mid-life.

If you suffer from migraines, chiropractic adjustments can be an effective treatment plan to help manage and even eliminate the condition. In fact, a report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that "spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than commonly prescribed medications."

Because every condition is unique, a thorough evaluation should precede any chiropractic treatment. However, the most common treatment plans for migraines include manipulation of the cervical vertebrae as well as specialized spinal adjustments designed to reduce spinal tension.  

Do you suffer from the incapacitating effects of migraines? The caring team at Arndt Chiropractic Center can work with you to create a treatment plan to help reduce the pain and alleviate your symptoms. Contact us today for more information!

Treating Scoliosis Using Chiropractic Medicine

Scoliosis is a condition of the spine that can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort for those who suffer from it. It is defined as a sideways curvature of the spine (sometimes patients can suffer from multiple curvatures). The most common deformations are in the shape of an “S” or “C,” and occur in about 80 percent of patients who have a curvature of less than 20 degrees.

The cause of these curvatures is generally not known, however some cases (about 20%) can be the result of a neurological disorder, severe trauma or a mass or growth on the spine. The most common form of scoliosis is called postural. Common side effects of this from of the condition include poor posture, muscle spasms in the back and legs and significant length differences in a patient’s legs.

Symptoms of Scoliosis

In the most severe cases, scoliosis can be a very painful condition. Some common symptoms include pain, decreased range of motion and in acute cases patients can also suffer from reduced lung function and even heart issues. The onset of symptoms is often during the high growth periods of adolescence, and because the rapid growth during these years, curvature severity can intensify quickly.  The most common diagnostic techniques for identifying scoliosis include physical examination and x-rays.  

Chiropractic and Scoliosis

Traditional medical treatments for scoliosis include observation, wearing a back brace for an extended period of time, or surgical procedures to correct the condition. Individuals who suffer from the scoliosis also look to chiropractic solutions to avoid these more invasive procedures.

Chiropractic medicine can be an effective way to reduce the pain and discomfort of scoliosis.  Some studies have found that patients who undergo regular chiropractic treatments might also have curvature reductions. Chiropractic treatment plans for scoliosis typically include a combination of spinal manipulation, electric muscle stimulation and therapeutic exercise routines. These non-invasive treatments often help reduce a patient’s level of pain significantly and can even improve range of motion and other associated issues.

If you are someone you know suffers from scoliosis, contact the professionals at Arndt Chiropractic Center to develop a care plan that could help minimize pain and discomfort. 

Treating Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow

An elbow, also known as the funny bone, is the joint between the forearm and the upper arm that allows the hand to be moved towards and away from the body.  When is the last time you thought about the health of your elbow?  Elbows are vital to our daily movement but did you know they can be easily injured?  If you have ever experienced tendonitis, you know the strain that an elbow injury can put on your everyday life.  If your elbow has been suffering from pain, swelling, or redness for more than a week, you might have a condition known as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow.  

Tennis Elbow – Tennis elbow is a condition caused by the overuse of the arm, forearm, and hand muscles that results in elbow pain.  Tennis elbow is caused by repetitive wrist and arm motions and is typically accompanied by pain.  This condition is most commonly found in people who play a lot of tennis, sports that require wrist motion, painters and even cooks.

Golfer’s Elbow – While not as common as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow is another form of tendinitis that causes pain to your elbow.  Golfer’s elbow is a condition caused by repetitive twisting or stress from wrist or finger motions.  This condition causes pain and inflammation on the inner side of the elbow and may leave your hands and wrists feeling weak.

Treatment – If you are concerned about tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, rest your arm for a week and see if the pain persists.  If you are still experiencing symptoms, you’ll want to make an appointment with the specialists at Arndt Chiropractic Center!  We offer a number of different chiropractic services for your needs.  

Arndt Chiropractic Center offers Laser Therapy (Cold Laser Therapy) as a treatment for many syndromes including tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.  Laser therapy uses laser energy to create therapeutic results, improve healing time, reduce pain, increase circulation and decrease swelling.  When laser light is absorbed by living tissue, it triggers biological reactions in the cells.  Chemical substances are produced, released and carried by blood and lymphatic flow to other parts of the system.  In this way, the effects of cold laser light create broad systemic effects.

If you are suffering from tendonitis, tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, contact Arndt Chiropractic Center today!

Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Without question, pregnancy is hard on a woman’s body. Morning sickness, backaches, pelvic pain, shortness of breath, swollen ankles, and more. Chiropractic care helps many people around the world find relief from common ailments by manipulating the the body’s musculoskeletal system. Women who are pregnant are extra cautious when it comes to their health and care, so some may not consider chiropractic care if they are unfamiliar with it. Chiropractic is perfectly safe, and can be of great benefit to pregnant women by alleviating many of pregnancy’s most uncomfortable symptoms.

During pregnancy, a woman's hormones are all over the place, causing a myriad of symptoms. Her body also changes; her center of gravity shifts forward to the front of her pelvis. This additional weight in front, causes stress to the joints of the pelvis and low back. As the baby grows in size, the added weight causes the curvature of her lower back to increase, placing extra stress on the fragile facet joints on the back side of the spine. This is all to accommodate the growing baby inside, but this miracle of life comes with some unfortunate side effects for mom. Here’s how prenatal chiropractic care can help, according to americanpregnancy.org:

• Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
• Controlling symptoms of nausea
• Reducing the time of labor and delivery
• Relieving back, neck, or joint pain
• Preventing a potential cesarean delivery

The spine is the “information highway” of the body, so keeping it properly aligned will make sure the brain’s signals are getting where they need to be and when, meaning the body will work more efficiently and the unpleasant pregnancy symptoms will be lessened.

Chiropractic care can also help correct an imbalanced pelvis, which betters the chances of baby moving into an optimal birthing position. With a balanced pelvis, babies are less likely to end up in breech position, which means a lower chance that the mother will need a cesarean section. Optimal baby positioning also means an easier, less painful labor and delivery for the mother.

As with anything during pregnancy, it’s important to discuss any treatment options with your healthcare provider. Many doctors are aware of the benefits of chiropractic care, and hopefully yours will refer you to Arndt Chiropractic Center! At Arndt Chiropractic Center, we take great pride in providing the finest chiropractic care to each and every patient. For more information on pregnancy and chiropractic care, please visit us at our website here, then schedule your appointment with us online!