By Dr. Phil Bechard, DC

Jaw pain can really be a huge bother for those that suffer from it. Not being able to bite down fully, to open our mouth fully, or to rest or sleep without pain in the jaw can be extremely bothersome and limiting. Our first recommendation is to be evaluated by a dentist or oral health specialist to determine the specific cause of your jaw pain so we know that care here is the most appropriate. Once you have the go ahead from your other medical provider, we can help appropriately sink our teeth into your problem (sorry, I had to). 

Our Chiropractors at Mt Hope Chiropractic and Wellness specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, including those related to the spine, joints, and muscles. The jaw, being a joint, is included in our list of treatment areas! Often an evaluation can uncover a proper treatment plan, home advice, and targeted exercises to properly tackle your problem. 

Jaw pain can arise from various sources, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, muscle tension, a variety of neck problems, or misalignment of the jaw. Our chiropractors may use manual adjustments, manipulation, or other techniques to address misalignments or tension in the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. By restoring proper function, most patients alleviate pain and improve overall jaw mobility. It’s important to note that the effectiveness of chiropractic care for jaw pain can vary from person to person, and the approach may depend on the underlying cause of the jaw issues.

By Dr. Rupina Khanna, DC

The Activator Technique is a chiropractic method that utilizes a handheld instrument, known as the Activator Adjusting Instrument, to deliver precise and controlled adjustments to the spine. This technique is based on the concept that specific, targeted adjustments can stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. The Activator Adjusting Instrument allows chiropractors to apply gentle and measured force to specific vertebrae or joints, promoting the restoration of normal joint function and relieving musculoskeletal imbalances. This method is particularly favored for its non-invasive nature and is considered suitable for individuals who may be uncomfortable with traditional manual adjustments.

Chiropractors employing the Activator Technique often use diagnostic procedures to identify areas of spinal dysfunction or joint restrictions. The Activator Adjusting Instrument is then applied to these specific areas, delivering a quick, low-force impulse. This precision is believed to enhance the effectiveness of the adjustment while minimizing the force applied to surrounding tissues. The technique is frequently used to address a range of conditions, including back pain, headaches, and joint dysfunction, providing an alternative for patients seeking chiropractic care who may prefer or require a gentler approach.

One of the notable advantages of the Activator Technique is its adaptability to various patient needs. The controlled and targeted nature of the adjustments allows chiropractors to tailor treatment plans to individual requirements, making it suitable for patients of different ages and health conditions. While the Activator Technique has garnered both support and criticism within the chiropractic community, its widespread use underscores its acceptance as a valuable tool in chiropractic care, especially for those who seek a more gentle and specific approach to spinal adjustments.

By Dr. Cody Arthur, DC

Finding a breakfast that is both quick and nutritious can be a challenge. One excellent solution that has stood the test of time is the humble rolled oats. Packed with health benefits and versatility, rolled oats offer a delicious and wholesome way to start your day. 

Rolled oats provide a rich source of essential nutrients. They are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, offering a sustained release of energy throughout the morning. Additionally, oats are loaded with fiber, promoting digestive health and helping you feel fuller for longer. 

One of the standout features of rolled oats is their positive impact on heart health. They contain soluble fiber that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of oats may contribute to a reduced risk of heart disease, making them a heart-smart choice for breakfast. 

The beauty of rolled oats lies in their versatility. Whether you prefer them cooked on the stove or prepared as overnight oats, the possibilities are endless. Mix in your favorite fruits, nuts, or seeds for added flavor, texture, and a boost of nutrients. 

If you’re aiming for a healthy weight, rolled oats can be a valuable ally. Their high fiber content helps control appetite and manage weight by promoting a feeling of fullness. This can aid in reducing overall calorie intake throughout the day, supporting weight management goals. 

As we navigate the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, embracing rolled oats as a breakfast option is a small yet impactful step. So, the next time you’re pondering your breakfast choices, consider the simple yet mighty rolled oats.

Hey all!

We hope you’re liking our lower back series thus far. We hope that in our past few posts it has helped to educate you on some differences in how pain can present. There are a few more subjects to cover, but before getting into those, a big question that gets asked in the office often is how to build lower back strength.

This of course is a difficult question to have just an immediate response for, as it depends on the individual. Is your goal to survive the rigors that a desk job can impact upon us? Are you involved in a specific sport that has certain demands? Are you a seasoned power lifter seeking that new personal best on a sumo dead lift? You can see this can be a different answer for certain people indeed!

I think most people that arrive in the office are using strength as a reference to prevention of their problem from happening again. For ourselves, this is type of strength is defined as educating your back on becoming stable. If you think about a day in terms of movement, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of small changes in position we take . If the majority of these are performed poorly, they may lead to problems down the road.

There you are, minding your own business living your best life, when out of nowhere you suddenly have back pain or pain in your leg. It could have jumped on you when you woke up, or when you got up out of bed, or when you bent to grab a shoe off the floor. It could have started with something as simple as sneezing, or as complex as catching a heavy squat clean slightly off center. Regardless of the mechanism, lower back or leg pain that is brought on suddenly is most often caused by a change in the behavior of an intervertebral disc.

So before we dive into disc talk, let’s again think about the following questions:

-Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?

-Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within a matter of hours or days)?

-Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

Disc related lower back and leg pain typically behaves in the following ways:

-The pain can differ in intensity and location when doing certain activities

-The problem gets better or worse, or moves up or down the leg, within hours or days

-Numbness and tingling is less common with this problem.

Getting a cold stinks.

Like most people, every few years I find myself with that all too familiar slight tickle in the nose and throat that, after a few days, blossoms into a head that feels like it’s stuffed with cotton, a nonstop cough, and fluids pouring everywhere out of my face.

Fun stuff.

It’s a tough, albeit small, period of time in our lives where we can’t do everything we want or need to do. It’s mentally distracting, and thoughts run through our head as to how long we have to deal with this (or is it ever going to go away), as there is no definitive answer. Amazingly enough, we start to get better. We overcome those worrying thoughts, then eventually our fatigue starts to fizzle, our head feels less cloudy, and taking those first few raw inhales out of those cleared nostrils feels like a momentous triumph.

The common cold exemplifies the condition of human performance:

– We adapt

– We are resilient

– We are capable of incredible, fast, positive change

In the following weeks we are going to take you through a number of common problems we often see in our office that are generated from the lower back, and some simple advice on how to approach it. As you follow the blog, keep in mind the above mantra where it applies to injury in this very common problem area.

Lower back pain, like most other injuries, is a sign that our body has adapted to our environment in a way that isn’t necessarily ideal for the long term. The beauty is that back pain, like a cold, is a temporary adaptation response to our habits and behaviors. Through our wonderful resilience we can re-adapt in a very short amount of time in our lives.

At our office we help people find those things we need to change, temporarily or long term, that will eliminate the problem and to promote a prolonged resistance to a return to disorder.

Feel free to reach out to us at mhcwny@gmail.com if you have any questions! We look forward to helping give you, the reader, a better understanding of how to keep yourself well.