Chiropractic adjustments for Ear Issues

26 Sep 2016 Your Overall Health ,

What is the Ear?

The external ear is called the auricle. It is the pretty part of the ear that we see on the outside of the body and where we hook glasses or wear earrings. The mechanics of the ear exist inside the hole in the head into the auditory canal that proceed to the middle and inner ear. This is where most ear issues occur. The labyrinth is the organ of hearing inside the internal ear.
What are the most common ear problems?

  • Ear pain
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Fluid in the Ears
  • Allergies

What is the Cause of Ear Pain?

Ear pain is most commonly caused by infection in the external ear (otitis externa) or the middle ear (otitis media). The infection itself can appear due to the following reasons; cold virus, secondary infection and/or swimming. Other causes of pain can be due to allergies that will cause fluid build up and pressure behind the ears themselves.

What is the Cause of Dizziness?

This is commonly a cause due to a spinal misalignment, allergies/ fluid in the ears and allergies. Some infections of the ear will also cause dizziness and nausea.

What is the cause of Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)?

It can occur due to age related hearing loss, fluid in the ears, a circulation problem or injury to the ear itself (physical trauma). Some head trauma has also been known to cause what is perceived as ringing in the ear.

How are ear conditions diagnosed?

The ear exam goes with a physical exam of the external ear. The doctor uses an otoscope and looks into the medial can and the eardrum to see if fluid is present. The doctor will look at the ear canal to determine if it is red and swollen or any damage like a scratch or foreign body is in the canal. If a patient has too much ear wax for the doctor to see, they will use an ear curette to remove the wax. The next part of the diagnoses comes from symptoms. Here is a short list of symptoms that accompany ear problems:

  • Headaches
  • Ear Pain
  • Tooth pain
  • Vertigo
  • Fullness in the ear
  • Ear itching
  • Tinnitus or ringing in the ear
  • Loss of hearing
  • Loss of balance

The doctor will then evaluate whether any of these symptoms are due to virus or infection by checking past history of illness or trauma and taking the patient’s temperature.

What are the common Diseases of the Ear and how are they treated?

  • Ear infection: Topical medication and/or oral antibiotic ( herbal alternatives available) and Chiropractic adjustments of the neck to drain fluids.
  • Vertigo: Chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture and Epley’s Maneuver
  • Tinnitus: Chiropractic adjustments or acupuncture (if these fail to relieve the ringing a neurologic exam is often warranted)
  • Meniere’s Disease: medication, acupuncture, or rehabilitation and in extreme cases surgery
  • Allergy related ear fullness: medication, acupuncture and massage

Gastro Intestinal Health

26 Nov 2012 Your Overall Health , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What is GI the tract?

The GI tract consists of the stomach and lower intestinal area in addition to the transitional segments. The organs are the stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon) and the rectum.  The upper digestive tract includes the mouth, duodenum and esophagus.

What does the GI tract do?

The GI system is responsible for the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients as well excretion.  Most digestion occurs in the small intestine, while the stomach is mainly responsible for the breakdown of food and particles in the system. The digestive tract is a series of tubes within tubes that are made up absorbent surfaces, each with a different job. The mucous layers absorb hormones, vitamins, minerals, water and other important nutrients essential to your health.  The GI tract is the immune system barrier, which is the main defense against outside infections and allergens.

What does it feel like when your digestive tract isn’t working properly?

–       Gas, bloating and pain

–       Stomach upset

–       Heartburn

–       Fatigue due to improper absorption

–       Constipation or diarrhea

–       Nausea and vomiting

What happens when your gut doesn’t work? 

The inability to properly process food can be a sign of other underlying health problems. For instance, “leaky gut” occurs when a particle of food or other foreign substance crosses the barrier from the intestines into the body. There they create a strong reaction that causes the immune system to attack the particle and sometimes areas of the body that may resemble the particle. This is a key theory in autoimmune disorders and diseases.  Another problem is that when your gut isn’t working well, your hormones don’t get processed properly resulting in a build-up of only one type of hormone.  Any hormone imbalance can lead to serious and unpleasant side effects.

What are the side effects of an unhealthy digestive system?

-Nutritional deficiencies since vitamins and minerals are not absorbed properly

-Fatigue, weakness and dizziness

– Yeast over growth and infection

-Anxiety from hormone imbalance

-Impaired immune function since the body is already fighting something

-Skin rashes due to decreased immune function

-Flatulence and bloating

-Diarrhea or constipation

-Headaches from hormone imbalance

 

What are a few steps to improving the health of your digestive tract?

-Test for food allergies that can make the leaky gut worse

-Decrease refined sugar in your diet

-Take healthy enzymes like glutamine which can heal the GI tract

-Use probiotics at a dose strong enough to replace your depleted flora

-Increase your intake of high fiber foods health

 

Chiropractic Treatment for Dizziness

23 Oct 2012 Your Overall Health ,

What is the Difference between Vertigo and Dizziness?

Dizziness is a common ailment that is classified into 3 types: vertigo, syncope and nonsyncope nonvertigo.  Each has unique symptoms and all are related to the sense of balance. Syncope is defined as a brief loss of consciousness (fainting) or by dimmed vision, light-headedness and a general feeling of lack of coordination. Vertigo is the sensation that either you or the room is spinning.  Nonsyncope nonvertigo is a when an individual cannot maintain their balance and movement makes it worse.

What are the different causes of dizziness?

Careful attention to the symptoms will help you determine the cause of dizziness. Are you dizzy for a few moments or a few days? Does the type of dizziness change or do several types of dizziness occur at the same time? Even with careful monitoring of your symptoms, you must remember that many types of dizziness occur with no reason or linkable cause.

Syncope can be a result of:

  • Low blood pressure
  • Heart problems
  • Disorders in the autonomic nervous system
  • Trouble breathing
  • Emotional distress
  • Pain
  • Reaction to outside stressors

Nonsyncope nonvertigo dizziness can be a result of:

  • Rapid breathing
  • Low blood sugar
  • Migraine headaches
  • Medications

Vertigo can be a result of:

  • Meniere’s disease
  • Inner ear infections
  • Vestibular disorders
  • Stroke
  • Neuroma
  • Multiple Sclerosis

What can I expect when I see my doctor for dizziness?

When you go for your initial visit to the doctor it’s a good idea to have a mental or written record of your dizzy spells. Make sure to be as detailed as possible with your symptoms. Be prepared to answer questions such as:

  • How long does each episode of dizziness last?
  • Do you get nausea?
  • Do you have ringing in your ears?
  • Have you had a recent injury or infection?
  • What medications are you taking?
  • Do you have headaches or vision changes?

The doctor will do an exam that will included the following:

  • Blood pressure
  • Pulse rate
  • Respiration rate
  • Body temperature
  • Exam of ears, nose and throat
  • Moving the head to various positions
  • Further testing may include hearing test, MRI, CT

When do people seek care for dizziness?

People often seek care for dizziness when it is debilitating or occurs frequently.

One of the more common and debilitating vertigos is called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) that can be easily treated in the office. This condition can cause a person to feel like the room is spinning around them or that they are spinning around the room and they may not be able to function. It is usually worse when lying down.

What is the treatment?

Treatment in office will occur after a detailed medical history and exam. Depending on your diagnosis, possible treatments include:

  • Chiropractic adjustment of the head, neck or jaw
  • Homeopathy
  • Epley maneuver

If stress is the main cause, relaxation techniques such as yoga and massage may be suggested.

What is the Epley maneuver?

The Epley maneuver is a simple positional technique that the doctor performs on the patient. While the patient sits on the table the doctor turns the patient’s head 45 degrees before rapidly tipping the patient backwards to lie flat on his/her back.  Then the doctor will observe rapid eye movement either side to side or up to down (called nystagmus) and wait for the eye movement to stop before having the patient roll on to their side while the doctor cradles the head, slowly rotating it until the patient is looking at the ground. They will hold this position for 1 minute.

For most patients, the vertigo is gone by the time they sit up. The procedure will take only a few minutes.

Remember, dizziness and vertigo can be caused by serious conditions and shouldn’t be ignored. Please tell your doctor about your symptoms and get treated sooner rather than later.

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