By Dr. Jon Thomas, DC, PSc.D, Board
Certified Chiropractic Physician.
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| Courtesy of Free Stock Photos |
As residents of Northeast Florida
recently discovered, a hurricane can be a major disruption. People try to be as
prepared as possible, but there never seems to be enough time to prepare fully.
When the storm hits, people hunker down and wonder when the power will go out.
After the storm hits, they begin to take steps to clean up and then go on with
their lives.
Every step of the way, there is
some potential for injury. For example, some families have storm supplies in
storage. Getting those supplies out of storage may involve gaining access to
attics by ladders and pulling heavy items down from shelves. Reaching and
lifting storm supplies, which seem like a routine activity, can lead to injury.
Also, in the preparation phase for
a serious storm, people buy supplies like canned foods and bottled water. Cases
of bottled water and canned foods are heavy. For someone who doesn’t get much
exercise, picking up a case of water can cause a back injury.
Another thing that people purchase
in anticipation of power outages are
generators. In addition to being very heavy, generators are awkward to lift and
carry. Just getting a generator out of a truck or van can cause a back injury.
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| Wikimedia Commons |
Note: When running a generator,
it’s very important to read the instructions. Generators produce carbon
monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas which can kill a person in minutes.
Also, since the exhaust from a generator is hot, it’s very important to make
sure that the exhaust isn’t pointed
toward anything flammable like wood siding.
During a storm, simply moving
around a house can become challenging after the power goes out. Even with a
flashlight, you don’t see as well as you would with normal lighting. It’s easy
to trip or to bump into things when the lights are out. Another storm hazard involves
dealing with high winds outside, which can result in a fall.
The danger isn’t over even after
the storm passes by. In the aftermath of
a storm, people sometimes hurt their backs, shoulders, and necks. There may be
large trees or tree limbs that need to be cut
and moved. Cutting wood may involve using the shoulder muscles in ways that
most people don’t do very often. Then there’s debris that needs to be hauled to the street. Some of that debris
can be heavy and awkward to drag.
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| Courtesy of Vibrant Life |
How can a Chiropractor help?
Anytime a person has a back, neck,
or shoulder injury, the first thing he or she should consider is getting
checked out by a qualified Chiropractor. A trained Chiropractor knows that
there are different kinds of pain and different ways to deal with pain. For
example, pulsating pain is frequently associated with the cardiovascular
system. Burning pain is often associated
with the nervous system. Dull aching pain is
frequently associated with muscles.
A Chiropractor understands the
differences and knows the best approach to deal with these different types of
pain. Pain is essentially a signal, like a
check engine light in a car. It tells people that something is not right
in the body. A Chiropractor will assess the signal and figure out what’s causing
the problem. Then he or she can get to the root
cause.
The spine houses and protects the
nervous system. When there is a misalignment in the spine, it can inhibit
communication back and forth with the brain. It doesn’t take much of a
misalignment to shut a nerve off. At that point, the brain may not be able to properly control a part of the body.
Through spinal decompression, a
Chiropractor can increase the space for nerves to send their signals to the
brain. There are no vessels in the disks and without Chiropractic, there is no
way to remove toxins from the disks. A Chiropractic adjustment can help to
rehydrate and nourish the disks.
Chiropractic is the safest form of
healthcare available.
There are several different
techniques available for dealing with the pain issues that people have. Whereas
one technique may work very well for one person, it may not work well for
another person with a similar condition. That’s why it’s good to go to a
Chiropractor who has been trained in more
than one or two techniques. A Chiropractor who knows six, eight or more
techniques obviously has more tools at his disposal than a Chiropractor who
only knows one or two techniques.
Developing a relationship with a
Chiropractor
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| Courtesy of Vibrant Life |
Many people wait until they have a
serious problem before setting up an appointment with a Chiropractor. There’s really no need to do that. When a person goes
to a Chiropractor as a part of a routine health regimen, the Chiropractor
becomes familiar with the patient’s issues and concerns. That kind of
relationship helps the doctor to address a patient’s problems as they come up.
At Vibrant Life Health Center, we
now offer the Life in Balance plan which addresses all the needs of our
patients. It incorporates weight loss, nutrition, fitness, Chiropractic, and
much more. The Life in Balance plan eliminates the need to go to several
practitioners who have different specialties.
If you have acute or chronic pain
and you’d like to find out how Chiropractic can help, set up an appointment
with Dr. Thomas at the Vibrant Life Health Center. If you’ve been trying to
lose weight for a long time and just can’t seem to do it, let Dr. Thomas explains
the NutriMost program which helps people lose twenty to forty pounds or more in
just forty days. And if you’d like to check out
the Life In Balance plan which can address every area of a patient’s health,
call Vibrant Life to set up an appointment.
This article discusses the
different ways Chiropractic can provide the solution to various types of pain.
I’ve also provided information about Vibrant Life Health Center’s Life in
Balance program which incorporates weight loss, nutrition, fitness,
musculoskeletal health, and much more.
If you have a comment about this
article, please leave it in the comments section below. If you know of someone
who might benefit from the information in this blog, please share it with your
friends and colleagues, and also on social media.
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At Vibrant Life, we address all of
the key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. This includes
nutrition, chiropractic care, and fitness. If you need to consult with a
chiropractor about your neck, back, or any other health concern, please contact
our office to set up an appointment.
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| Courtesy of Vibrant Life |
Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified
Chiropractic Physician. His practice, The Vibrant Life Health Center, is
located in the Mandarin section of Jacksonville. His interest in health and
fitness started early, and his athletic pursuits have included BMX racing,
Professional Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Baseball, Weightlifting, and Martial
Arts. After studying and learning from some of the top health experts
throughout the world, Dr. Thomas dedicated his life to helping people of all
ages to transform their lives. The objective for each patient is to initiate
the body’s healing and to work progressively toward a body that functions
optimally. Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV on First Coast Living, where he
discusses the transformations of his patients. He also speaks at events
throughout the community and writes informative articles to improve the health
of residents throughout Northeast Florida.
Most people realize that a hurricane can be a life changing event. What they don't realize is that the potential for injury while preparing for and cleaning up after the storm can also be life changing as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat article. When we are under stress, bad things often happen. A chiropractor is often the best help for those strains and pain that develop when you over exert yourself.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that many of the hazards are after the dust has settled, so to speak.
ReplyDelete