We have all been there. You come home from work to “Netflix and chill” but its been a long day, you are tense and have a headache. You’ve worked hard all day and after you fix some dinner you just want to sit with your family and relax. Maybe you want to hit “play” on the next episode of your favorite show. In our house, that would be Heartland and or Gilmore Girls. But instead of enjoying the evening, you find yourself focused on pain or a headache. You might even try shifting positions or rubbing the sore spot, still you can’t seem to unwind and enjoy the evening.
Welcome to the unfortunate reality of “bringing home the pain.” Whether you spend your day sitting at a desk, hunched over a computer, or constantly on your feet, the stress and strain of daily life won’t always magically disappear when you clock out. Sometimes, they follow you home, turning your downtime into discomfort time.
But what if there was a better way. Maybe it is time for “Chiropractic and Chill?”
Why Sitting All Day is a Pain in More Ways Than One
Hours of sitting can lead to poor posture, muscle tension, and misalignment in your spine. Over time, this can cause issues like:
Stiff neck and shoulders
Lower back pain
Headaches
Numbness or tingling in the arms and legs
Proper Ergonomics – Ergonomics are is important, they help maintain a good posture throughout the day. However, they will only minimize the chance of discomfort; it cannot always eliminate it. Here is the best way to sit through the day to minimize tension in the neck and shoulders:
Sit upright, with your hips and knees bent at approximately 90 degrees, with your feet flat on a surface.
Make sure your spine is resting against the back of the chair to utilize the lumbar support.
Keep your elbows near your side, with a 90-degree bend, and avoid reaching for either keyboard or mouse. The keyboard and mouse should be close enough so that your elbows stay close to your side.
Avoid laptop monitors because they keep you looking down, and that will increase tension on the neck and shoulders. Instead, use a regular monitor, and have your eyes looking just below the top of the screen.
The problem for many is that even with good ergonomics, once you’re home, these issues don’t just disappear. They can turn relaxing family time into a constant struggle to find comfort.
Chiropractic and Chill
At Desert Valley Chiropractic, we’re all about helping you reclaim your chill time. Our gentle, precise Chiropractic Care is ideal for
Relieving muscle tension and stiffness by restoring proper joint movement in the neck and upper back, which reduces strain on surrounding muscles.
Improving posture and spinal alignment, helping to correct the forward head posture that often contributes to chronic neck pain and tension headaches.
Reducing nerve irritation through gentle adjustments, which can decrease referred pain patterns and help calm the nervous system.
Supporting long-term relief and prevention by addressing the root causes of pain, not just the symptoms—especially when combined with stretches, posture tips, and ergonomic support.
Imagine coming home, sinking into the couch, and actually enjoying your time with your family, without the constant battle against headaches or neck and upper back pain.
Tips for Bringing Home the Relief, Not the Pain
Stay Active: Take short breaks to stand at least every hour. Consider a quick stretch or walk during your workday.
Prioritize Your Posture: Adjust your workspace to support your spine.
Stay Consistent with Chiropractic Care: Regular adjustments can help keep your spine in line and your body feeling great.
Stretch Before You Chill: A few gentle stretches in the evening can release tension. You don’t always have to do a 30-minute yoga practice, often just a few minutes of stretching can help you relax and enjoy your night.
Don’t let your daily grind turn into nightly discomfort. Make “Chiropractic and Chill” your new routine – because you deserve to enjoy your evenings pain-free. If you’re ready to feel better, move better, and actually chill, give us a call at Desert Valley Chiropractic. We’re here to help.
Happy October and Welcome to Inflammation Season! As we move into the fall, it is the time when pumpkin spice and holiday goodies take over. From Halloween candy to Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies, Hanukkah latkes, and festive cocktails, it’s the season of indulgence!
By the time December rolls around, my office is usually full of patients feeling under the weather, battling colds, flu, fatigue, and flare-ups. When we get to talking, the culprit is often accidental overindulgence during the holidays. But don’t worry—I’m a huge fan of holiday fun, too! The joy, gratitude, and connections are important for your well-being. So, what’s the solution? It all comes down to **awareness** and **balance**.
Sugar and Inflammation
Sugar plays a significant role in promoting inflammation in the body. Consuming excessive amounts of refined sugars can lead to spikes in blood glucose levels, which triggers the release of inflammatory cytokines—molecules that cause inflammation as part of the immune response. Over time, this chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of various health issues such as joint pain, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Reducing sugar intake helps to decrease inflammation, supporting better overall health, reducing pain, and improving energy levels. Opting for whole, unprocessed foods is a key strategy in managing inflammation and maintaining a balanced diet.
Awareness 🌟
Holiday temptations are everywhere, starting with Halloween candy in October, and continuing through New Year’s with rich meals, desserts, and festive drinks. It’s easy to overdo it without realizing it! Here are some tips to help you stay mindful and keep your body balanced:
– Skip the candy bowl 🍬 or hand out treats you don’t particularly like.
– Space out indulgences—don’t let every day become a dessert day.
– Balance treats with nutrient-rich foods, like vegetables and lean proteins 🥦🍗.
– Use holiday spices like cinnamon, which can help regulate blood sugar.
– Support your immune system by taking vitamin D and fish oil.
– Limit alcohol, which depletes important nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins. Be sure to replenish them with healthy foods or supplements.
Balance⚖️
The holidays are all about enjoyment, so don’t deprive yourself! The key is balance:
– Plan your week – enjoy treats, but balance them with nutritious meals.
– Say “no” when needed – It’s okay to decline some activities to rest and avoid burnout. 🎉🚫
– Take downtime to relax and recharge—this will help prevent overindulging and exhaustion.
– Get outside! Enjoy Phoenix’s fall weather with walks or hikes instead of sugary coffee dates. 🚶♂️🌞
– Exercise and chiropractic care can help reduce inflammation and support your body during this busy season.
– Rest! Sleep is crucial for staying healthy and energized.
– Stay hydrated and consider adding a high-quality protein supplement to offset the effects of sugar.
Remember, you can enjoy the best of the season without feeling run down by January. Stay consistent with your health plan, prioritize your well-being, and let’s head into the new year feeling strong and refreshed!
How to Get the Most Out of Maintenance Chiropractic Care
You’ve made great strides in your health, and now it’s time to protect that investment with regular chiropractic maintenance care. At Desert Valley Chiropractic in Moon Valley, we believe that maintenance care is crucial for long-term wellness, helping you move better, feel better, and enjoy life to the fullest.
Here are a few tips to make the most out of your chiropractic maintenance care:
1. Don’t Skip Visits
Consistency is key! Pre-scheduling your maintenance care appointments ensures you stay on track. Regular chiropractic adjustments keep your body aligned and help prevent potential setbacks. Set reminders and prioritize your health to maintain the benefits you’ve worked hard to achieve.
2. Move Every Day
Incorporating daily movement into your routine is essential for keeping your body in top condition between visits. A simple 30-minute walk can work wonders in keeping your muscles and joints flexible while supporting spinal health. Daily movement is a great complement to your adjustments and helps you stay active and mobile.
Small flare-ups or inflammations may happen occasionally, but applying ice can soothe these areas and keep you feeling great. Ice helps reduce swelling and inflammation, making it a simple, effective tool to have on hand. For more tips on when to use ice or heat, check out our helpful guide.
5. Incorporate At-Home Exercises
Staying proactive with nerve flossing and core exercises can make a big difference in maintaining the results of your chiropractic care. These exercises help support your spine and nervous system, prolonging the benefits of your adjustments. Adding just a few minutes of these exercises into your daily routine can boost your overall wellness.
6. Address Flare-Ups Quickly
If you feel any pain or discomfort lasting 24-48 hours between visits, don’t hesitate to call us for an appointment. We recommend catching flare-ups early to get you back on track with your maintenance care plan.
Why Maintenance Care Matters
Regular chiropractic maintenance is the smartest choice for keeping your spine healthy and your body functioning at its best. Whether you’re dealing with past injuries or aiming for long-term wellness, staying consistent with care will help you continue to live pain-free.
When searching for chiropractic care in North Phoenix, you might wonder if X-rays are necessary before starting treatment. The short answer? Not always! While some chiropractic techniques rely on X-rays to determine the best approach, Desert Valley Chiropractic takes a different route to deliver personalized and effective care.
Why Some Chiropractors Use X-rays
While some experts consider it controversial many chiropractic offices use X-rays to guide manual adjustments. This may help the doctor know exactly where and how to adjust. This is particularly important for techniques that involve rotation or extension of the spine, as these movements can stress the joints if not carefully controlled. X-rays provide a clear view of the spine’s structure, helping chiropractors perform these techniques safely.
Of course, there are still scenarios where X-rays can be beneficial, such as screening for injuries such as a car accident, pathologies, or other underlying conditions. If we believe an X-ray is necessary based on your symptoms, medical history, or response to care, we refer you to a trusted radiology facility. There, a board-certified radiologist will review your films and provide us with a comprehensive report.
The added bonus of this approach is that your X-ray results are stored in a patient portal, making them accessible to your other healthcare providers if needed. This way, you have a thorough record of your health history that goes beyond just your chiropractic visits.
What About the Radiation?
Some patients are concerned about the radiation of an X-ray. Rest assured they are safe. For example, the radiation from a chest X-ray is the equivalent to 10 days outside in the environment. So, if we determine an X-ray is necessary, we will discuss the reasons why and you can breathe easy because they are a sage diagnostic tool.
If You Don’t Use X-ray, What Do You Use?
As mentioned above we use technology called Myovision. MyoVision is an advanced diagnostic tool similar to an EKG for activity of heart Muscle. The Myovision scan provides detailed insights into how your muscles and spine are functioning together. This state-of-the-art technology uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure the electrical activity in your muscles. Giving us a real-time snapshot of any areas of muscle tension, imbalance, or stress. The MyoVision scan is quick, non-invasive, and completely safe. Making it an ideal tool to use during your initial exam and throughout your care plan to track your progress.
The data collected by MyoVision along with a physical exam helps us pinpoint problem areas that may not be apparent through traditional assessment methods. By understanding how your muscles are responding to nerve signals, we can fine-tune our treatment approach to ensure that each adjustment is as effective as possible.
At Desert Valley Chiropractic in North Phoenix, we utilize MyoVision technology to complement our Activator Methods technique, allowing us to deliver precise, customized care without the need for X-rays in most cases. This way, you can have confidence that your treatment is guided by the most accurate and up-to-date information available.
Why Choose Desert Valley Chiropractic?
With over 300 five-star Google reviews, we are proud to be one of North Phoenix’s top-rated chiropractic offices. Our patients appreciate the gentle approach of Activator Methods, which has made a life-changing impact on many people dealing with pain and discomfort. Whether you’re dealing with a recent injury, chronic pain, or just looking to maintain your health, we’re here to support your wellness journey.
Ready to experience the Desert Valley difference? Call us today at 602-439-1515 to schedule your first visit!
Chiropractic care has been helping CrossFit enthusiasts maximize performance and minimize injuries for a long time. CrossFit is an intense workout regime embraced by over 5 million people each year. Given its demanding nature, many CrossFitters, who often have sedentary jobs, find themselves prone to injuries. However, these injuries are not inevitable. Incorporating stretches, foam rolling, and other mobility exercises into your routine can significantly reduce the risk of injury. Additionally, chiropractic care offers numerous benefits for CrossFitters, enhancing their performance and overall well-being.
Chiropractic Care and Injury Prevention
CrossFit workouts involve high-intensity movements that can strain muscles and joints. Regular chiropractic adjustments help maintain proper alignment of the spine and joints, reducing injury risks during workouts. Poor form during lifts and exercises is a primary cause of injuries. Misaligned joints can lead to unintended poor form. Chiropractic care enhances joint function, increases range of motion, and improves form, thereby preventing injuries.
Get the Most out of your Workout
Proper joint alignment and function improves biomechanics of the spine or other effected joints. Improved mechanics allow you to get the most out of your workout, including more intense Crossfit workouts. When the body is in alignment, muscles function optimally, allowing athletes to generate more power and strength.
Recovery, Recovery, Recovery!!
CrossFit workouts can be intense, often resulting in muscle soreness and fatigue. Being in optimal alignment with Chiropractic adjustments will promote faster recovery by reducing inflammation, improving blood flow and aiding the body’s natural healing processes. The better your recover, the more you can perform on your next workout.
Enhanced Range of Motion
Flexibility and range of motion are crucial in all aspects of life, including CrossFit. It is important to have smooth movements to aid with proper form and technique. Chiropractic care improves joint function and reduces muscle restrictions, helping CrossFitters move more freely and efficiently. Given how much time we spend sedentary in front of a computer with poor posture, achieving full range of motion when starting to work out can be challenging. Regular chiropractic visits can significantly improve this.
Prior to any big workout including CrossFit it can be beneficial to warm up your core. Core engagement is critical to preventing significant injury during a workout. If we engage the core for a few minutes prior to a workout, it will be there to support us when we need it. Plus, it can help with your form, especially with more intense movements.
Also, don’t forget to stretch after the workout. You have spent all that time working your muscles, shortening them and putting stress on the surrounding joints. Take the time to lengthen those muscles after your work out. They’re already warmed up, they’ll have good blood supply and post workout stretching has been shown to reduce soreness and speed up recovery.
Overall, chiropractic care supports the health and performance of CrossFit athletes by addressing musculoskeletal issues, promoting better range of motion, optimizing overall function and faster recovery. It’s essential for athletes to work with qualified chiropractors who understand the unique demands of CrossFit training. At Desert Valley Chiropractic, we are dedicated to providing expert care to help you achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively.
Did you know that Chiropractic Care doesn’t have to be scary? Despite the proven benefits and growing popularity of chiropractic care, we often see patients who are initially nervous about seeking care. Sadly, several misconceptions persist that can deter individuals from seeking the relief and wellness they deserve. Let’s debunk some of the most common myths about chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Myth #1 – Chiropractic adjustments are dangerous:
While this sentiment is not nearly as prevalent as it once was there are some that still think it’s dangerous. Some are “scared of the pop and crack,” but not all chiropractor adjust that way. Statically chiropractic adjustments are safe, even the traditional approach. However, at Desert Valley Chiropractic we specialize in a different technique. We use a light an effective adjusting instrument called an Activator to mobilize and realign the spine without twisting, or cracking.
There are many benefits to an Activator adjustment, and they include:
Speed – An Activator is roughly 1000 times faster than adjusting with our hands! Since we don’t twist our patients like a pretzel there is no resistance. This means we don’t need all the force to adjust the spine.
Reduced Inflammation – Groundbreaking research in 2016 by Dr. Song discovered that a chiropractic adjustment with an Activator reduce swelling. Specifically Activator will reduce swelling around the facet joints and the nerve root. This is essential to reducing pain and improving mobility.
Precision: Activator allows for pinpoint accuracy. We target specific areas of the spine and joints to improve alignment and function.
Safety: The controlled force and gentle nature of the adjustments make the Activator Method a safe option for patients of all ages, including children and the elderly. Again, no twisting, popping or cracking!
Chiropractic Myth #2 – 1. Chiropractic care is for adults only:
Chiropractic care is a versatile and effective healthcare option for individuals of all ages, from infants to the elderly.
Children – gentle chiropractic adjustments can help with common issues such as colic, ear infections, and improving sleep patterns.
Teenagers and Adults – They benefit from chiropractic care for sports injuries, posture improvement, and managing everyday aches and pains.
Seniors – Chiropractic care provides a safe and effective way to address age-related conditions like arthritis and improve overall mobility and balance.
By focusing on the body’s natural ability to heal itself, chiropractic care offers a holistic approach to health and wellness, ensuring that patients of all ages can lead healthier, more active lives.
Chiropractic Myth #3 – Chiropractic care is only for Low back Pain:
It is true that many patients seek chiropractic care for low back pain however, studies indicate over half the population seeking chiropractic care do it for other health concerns as well: A review by the National Institute of Health (NIH) demonstrated the following:
46 % of patients who visit a chiropractor are because of Low Back Pain.
13 % of patients who visit a chiropractor do so because of Neck Pain
Chiropractic care does not have to be scary. It can be an effective treatment to reduce pain and get you back to your life, and we would like to help you with that. Call or schedule today and find out for yourself the truth about chiropractic care.
