Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Toys For Tots Drive A Success!!!

I want to thank everyone that participated in our "Toys For Tots" collection drive at Wimmer Chiropractic. We were able to fill our collection box to capacity and had some toys spilling over in to the floor. Your generosity will certainly help others in need. Hopefully we can fill the entire reception area next year.

Several people took advantage of our "Toys For Treatment" where existing patients could get a regular visit and new patients could receive an initial evaluation in exchange for a donation. We also collected many donations at our yearly Christmas event with Santa.

Our collection box was picked up yesterday and those toys are on their way to some kids that deserve a Merry Christmas!

Thanks again to the patients, friends and families of Wimmer Chiropractic that made this possible.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Investing In Wellness

Just thought I would share this information with you, because I couldn't have said it any better myself. Enjoy!


Celebrate Wellness!


Investing in Wellness

A Public Service of the Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association

Health care costs are ever on the rise. In 2007, 16.2% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was spent on health care (1). National health expenditures are expected to grow 6.2% per year, every year, from 2008-2018 (2). What can we do to protect ourselves and our families from the ever-rising costs of sickness, injury, and aging? Here are some tips, courtesy of the Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association.
Be patient. How old are your problems? Did you first come to the chiropractor because of a sports injury, or car accident, or arthritic pain, or headaches, or just to be your best? Regardless of why you started care, most of us don’t just reach down to pick up a grandchild and have a sudden, unexpected injury. Sure, our problems may surprise US... but they rarely surprise your chiropractor. The patient with a back strain may have silent yet significant spinal degeneration that shows up on x-ray, or a disc bulge that shows up on MRI, or improper joint and nervous system function that’s evident to a chiropractor’s trained hands. Give your body time to respond to care, and open yourself to the possibility that your body can get in the “habit” of feeling good... or even great.
Never be “too busy” to follow your treatment plan. We’re all bombarded with alleged “health care” messages telling us that drugs and surgery are the answers to our problems, that quick fixes are the key to making it through our days. These messages can and do affect our behaviors. The average American spent over $7000 (3) on his or her health care this past year, with the lion’s share of that figure being hospital and physician care including drugs, surgery, and end-of-life expenditures. When your chiropractor suggests a more intensive treatment plan after a flare-up or injury, consider the time and money an investment in yourself. That investment will literally pay off in cash as you may find yourself having fewer relapses, using less drugs and surgery (4), and missing less time from work.
Don’t overdo it. Every day chiropractors see the wonders of hands-on healing... and the consequences of bad decisions. Here’s a quote from a patient: “I felt so good after my adjustment, we went and played golf all day. Today, I can hardly move!” Just like a cut on the outside of your body takes time to heal, injuries and improper nerve patterns take time to fully respond to treatment in a lasting way. We’ll celebrate your “good days” along with you -- yet be smart. Stay on-track, and remember that good results are no accident -- they’re the logical result of adherence to a well-considered plan.
Limit -- or avoid -- unnecessary drugs. Did you know that inflammation is an essential component of the injury process? In our attempts to flee pain, Americans are actually making some of their problems worse by suppressing our body’s natural responses. Modern medicine is a wonder, yet Americans overuse drugs. Pain-killing medications (steroids, NSAIDS, acetaminophen/Tylenol, and others) can cause mild to severe problems with chronic or improper dosing (5). As much as possible, stick to the natural methods your chiropractor recommends.
Value yourself. Moms and other care-givers need to avoid putting themselves last in line. Working men and women need to consider that missing treatment visits in order to work may mean longer recovery times, more relapses, and LESS time at work.
Don’t let your insurance company dictate your health care. Insurance companies use the terms “in network,” “covered services,” and “allowables” to leverage their interests and their shareholders’ -- not yours. Take charge of your health, and decide what’s best for you, separate from the economic and other pressures third parties may inject into the doctor-patient relationship. After all, this is the only body you’re going to get.
Make WELLNESS your personal and family priority. Despite the media, you’d be wise to focus on the value of wellness, in contrast to focusing on the cost of sickness. The “sick care” model of American health care is failing. Join the many who have discovered that making a wellness lifestyle the focus of our time, energy, and values can significantly decrease your family’s health care costs for the coming year... and beyond.

For more information about health and well-being, ask your chiropractor!

Celebrate Wellness! is provided as a public service by the Virginia Chiropractic Association. Production and content courtesy of Trusted Voice. All rights reserved.

1 Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), as quoted at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/02_NationalHealthAccountsHistorical.asp.
2 Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), as quoted at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/proj2008.pdf.
3 Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), as quoted at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/02_NationalHealthAccountsHistorical.asp.
4 Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield 2008 Physical Medicine Pilot on Quality, as reported in Dynamic

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Don't Let Your Stress Reliever Become A Repetitive Strain Injury!

Many of us engage in activities that help us unwind from a busy day or escape from everyday stress...and we all need to have a getaway. Whether it's browsing the internet to connect with friends and family, exercising, playing video games, sewing or playing music, too much of a good thing can lead to serious consequences.

For me, it's playing guitar, so I am writing this as much for myself as anyone else reading. Now I am no great musician, but learning a new song or getting it to sound somewhat recognizable is quite rewarding and relaxing to me (even if it drives my wife crazy at times). But, could spending hours on end without a break be causing any harm? YOU BET IT CAN!!!

Repetitive Strain Injuries can occur from almost any activity that requires doing the same thing over and over again...even just sitting in the same position at the computer. Joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons or nerves can become irritated or inflamed. Spinal joints can become fixated or lose their normal alignment and cause stress or irritation to spinal nerves...ouch! Conditions such as tendinitis, bursitis or nerve impingement, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can develop causing pain in the injured area and even numbness, tingling or loss of muscle strength.

So what can be done to avoid these consequences?
  • Treat your activity as an athletic event - a good warm-up should be done prior to beginning. That can be as simple as doing some stretches. For other guitar players and musicians, stretch the hands, wrists and spine then progress into playing some scales slowly. Don't just jump in and start banging out power cords.
  • Build strength and endurance - if you just started running last week, then don't expect to run a marathon tomorrow. General strengthening and endurance related activities in addition to activity specific exercises should be included. Ask your health care provider about specifics.
  • Give it a rest - take frequent breaks. If you know you can play music, sit in front of the computer, or play checkers (whatever the activity) for 30 minutes before you experience discomfort then take a stretch break and change positions after 20 minutes. Don't think you can "play through the pain" and expect things to heal properly. Pain is your body's signal that something is wrong or that it can't adapt any further. Listen to those signals.
If you read this too late and you are already experiencing persistent symptoms then see your doctor. Doctors of Chiropractic are well trained in diagnosing and treating patients suffering from repetitive strain. The last thing you want to do is allow an avoidable and/or treatable problem to keep you away from what you love to do.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Handling Holiday Stress

We survived Thanksgiving, Christmas is quickly approaching and New Year's is just around the corner. Feeling the stress and tension mounting yet?

I thought I would share some helpful hints on "Holiday Stress" provided by the Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association.
  • Be mindful of what you eat and drink - what we do now we may pay for later!
  • Mark Twain once said, "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." Don't let worry ruin your spirit!
  • Exercise
  • Make sure your spine is functioning to it's fullest potential and not causing heath robbing nerve interference or stress.
Click here to read the full article.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment contact Wimmer Chiropractic today!