Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

Pregnancy should be a special time in a woman’s life filled with joy, happiness and great anticipation for the arrival of a precious son or daughter.  Pregnancy should not be a time battling illness, pain and discomfort.

The chiropractic care provided at Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center provides many benefits to women and their unborn children during pregnancy.  We’ve played an integral part in the health care of hundreds of pregnant women.

Utilizing our safe and effective chiropractic care, nutritional guidance and exercise plans, we help mothers-to-be stay healthy, fit and comfortable during pregnancy and properly prepare them for a smooth and easy birth.

Contact us to schedule an appointment by calling (386) 492-4881!  
We can help you have a healthy and comfortable pregnancy too!

Keeping Spine and Nervous System Healthy During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, expectant mothers undergo dramatic physical changes within their bodies in preparation for carrying a child and giving birth. The spine is one of the primary areas where these changes are felt the most and where a majority of problems start as misalignments in your spine, also known as subluxations.

Our chiropractors are specially trained physicians who keep the spine and nervous system healthy and free from subluxations.
Most people don’t realize how the spine and nervous system control all parts of the human body. But your developing unborn child certainly does.
When a mother’s egg is fertilized and pregnancy begins, cells start to multiple and divide. The first things these cells create are the brain and spinal cord. From the spinal cord, little branches of nerves begin to spread outward. The combination of the brain, spinal cord and nerves becomes the central nervous system. Once the central nervous system is in place, “buds” will form at the end of nerves. These buds are the beginning of all the vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys.

The brain and central nervous system literally are the origin of life and control every cell within the body. These cells form tissue, tissue forms organs and organs form systems. Put all these systems together and a human body is created.
The human brain controls every microscopic cell within the body and the brain communicates with each of the millions of cells via the nervous system. This is how the brain delivers the necessary energy and instructions to every part of your body to make it function.

There are many situations where the energy sent by your brain through your nervous system becomes filtered and distorted. This interference is known as a subluxation.
Bones or joints may become misaligned and nerves can become irritated, pinched, stretched or compressed which all causes inference in the flow of energy from the brain. When this energy is distorted or blocked, a variety of symptoms will surface including pain.

As a baby starts to develop and continues to grow, an expectant mother is experiencing 9 months of increasing stress on her bones, muscles and joints which can create subluxations.
Our chiropractic care keeps mothers-to-be free from subluxations and the pain and discomfort that are caused by these subluxations.

Preventing Common Pregnancy Health Conditions

Due to the changes a woman’s body experiences, pregnancy is a time where health conditions can quickly develop. We help expectant mothers stay healthy so they avoid such common pregnancy conditions as the following:
Back Aches/Back Pain
Neck Pain
Headaches
Hip Pain
Indigestion/Heartburn
Insomnia
Constipation
Fatigue
And More...

Healthy Nutrition and Diet

As outlined above, a healthy spine and nervous system are essential elements of a pleasant, problem-free pregnancy. Another crucial part is proper diet and nutrition.
A mother and her unborn child are dependent upon receiving the correct nutrition for proper development. What mom chooses to eat during pregnancy has an impact on her child receiving the correct nutrition.
At Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center, we provide our expectant mothers who are patients with important guidance on diet and nutrition during pregnancy so they can make the right food choices for themselves and their baby.

Proper Exercise

Another important element for a pleasant pregnancy is getting the correct amount of exercise.
We work with expectant mothers to develop a customized exercise program that keeps them fit, prepares them for birth and helps them continue to look great after giving birth.

Preparation for Birth

Chiropractic care provides numerous benefits to expectant mothers and increases their probability of having an enjoyable pregnancy. The advantages of following our chiropractic care during pregnancy culminate at the birth of the child.  Our chiropractic care prepares mom and baby for birth. Certain chiropractic techniques relieve stress on the pelvis and uterus which helps the unborn child properly turn and position for a healthy birth.

Webster Technique for Breech Births

Dr. Larry Webster, a chiropractor and founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association developed the Webster Technique as a safe means to restore proper pelvic balance and function. It was developed to restore normal function of the mother and improve her comfort throughout pregnancy in preparation for a safer, easier birth.

Dr. Webster reported that in women who presented with a breech baby, the results of the adjustment appeared to normalize pelvic biomechanics and facilitate optimal fetal positioning.  As Dr. Webster taught other doctors of chiropractic this adjustment, they too reported positive changes in baby positioning.
At Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center we have been utilizing the Webster Technique for many years and have seen the benefits of this technique for preventing breech births and facilitating safe and easy births for our patients.

For more information, please contact our office to see how we can help make your pregnancy a happier and healthier experience!   (386) 492-4881 or visit us on the web at www.atlanticchirofl.com!

Get in the Car... Right!

Did you know that there is a proper way to get in and out of your car? Well, believe it or not, there is, and it is especially important that seniors and those who have arthritis practice these simple maneuvers to enter and exit a car safely.

• Swivel in and out – Enter the car backwards and then swing your legs into the car in front of your seat. Reverse this order to get out of the car.

 • Use the handles on the inside of the car – Generally located over the door or on the side of the door, holding on to these handles as you enter or exit the car helps you maintain your balance and gives you some leverage with which to raise and lower your body into or out of the seat.

• Use running boards – Most SUVs and trucks come with side running boards that you can step up on to get into the car. If your car is high, and you have difficulty “climbing” into your seat, think about installing them if your vehicle did not come with them.

• Use a plastic bag to cover the seat – This is an easy and rather inexpensive way to “slide” in and out of the car if you usually have difficulty. The bag slides with you!

It is important that you give yourself enough time to get to your car if you have a condition that is aggravated by getting in and out of your car. When you are in a rush, you tend to compromise your safety, which may lead to further aggravating an already painful condition.

Keep in mind too that chiropractic care keeps your nervous system running the way it is intended to and that regular adjustments often relieve the pain associated with arthritic conditions, making a ride in the car a real joyride!

www.atlanticchirofl.com

Smart Tips for a Healthy Back

We are honored to know that our patients consider us their first stop for treatment of their back pain.  Though we receive great satisfaction from helping our patients get back on their feet after an accident or injury, chiropractic treatments are just a portion of the service we provide.  We hate to see our patients suffer strains or pulled muscles while doing things they love, like gardening, tennis, or just tossing a ball with the kids in the backyard.  To help you enjoy life without back pain ruining your fun, we always take time to help you understand ways to protect your back from injury.  By following a few rules and developing some healthy habits, protecting your back is easy!

Healthy Back Tip #1: Warm up before you shape up!

One of the most common mistakes people make is neglecting to take time to warm up their muscles before strenuous activities.  When back muscles are not prepared for lifting, throwing or bending, it’s very easy to cause strain or injury that puts you on the sidelines and leaves you wincing.  Before sports or activities, like moving furniture or organizing the garage, take 5 minutes to warm up your back.  To make your exercises effective, consider the types of movement you might require of your back muscles and practice those movements gently to engage the muscles.  Will you be twisting and lifting?  Try side bends to warm up the muscles that support your spine.  Carrying heavy boxes?  Trunk rotations can limber up the lower back.  There are a variety of yoga exercises that can be performed while standing or lying down that help stretch and strengthen the back.  Learn more about yoga by trying a beginner’s class, researching yoga poses online or renting a yoga DVD.

Healthy Back Tip #2:  Practice Smart Lifting

Proper lifting technique isn’t just for weightlifters!  If you buy dog food in 40 pound bags at the warehouse store or lug baskets of laundry around the house, you, too, need to know to lift heavy loads correctly:

• Bend your knees—This move protects the lower back and distributes weight to your leg muscles, which can handle a heavier load than your back can.
• Keep heavy loads centered—Carrying laundry baskets on your hip might seem like the right thing to do, but that heavy load on one side of your body can cause spinal alignment issues.
• Brace yourself—If you anticipate a day of heavy lifting, investing in a lightweight lower back support brace will help protect your lower back from overexertion. 
• Cart it—Hand-truck carts and wheeled baskets can be your back’s best friend.  Keeping a small, collapsible cart in your car is great for transporting packages into the post office or getting that stack of sports drinks and snacks out to the ball field on game day.  Before you resort to carrying heavy loads, put safety first and load up a cart!  Check your local office supply store for a selection of inexpensive, sturdy carts or hand-trucks. 

Healthy Back Tip #3:  Stop if it hurts

Our bodies are constantly sending us messages about what they need.  Sudden back pain is a powerful message to stop what you are doing right away.  If you reach or bend and feel a twinge or pull, your body is telling you something just isn’t right.  Take a moment to consider why it hurts.  Should you have warmed up first?  Is the load too heavy for you?  Are you lifting properly?  Is there an easier, back-healthy way to accomplish the task?  Listen to your body and pay attention to its messages.  It will reward you with less sprains and strains!
Protecting your back from injury is an important part of a healthy life, and it is easy to do if you remember to warm up and practice safe movements that do not place unnecessary strain on your back muscles.  Keep your back strong with exercise and good posture.  Support your spine by strengthening your abdominal muscles and keeping your core strong.  Visit us for regular chiropractic adjustments, even when you are pain-free, to help keep your back healthy and ready for all the fun and adventure life has to offer!