Did you know that more than 20,000 children suffer from backpack injuries each year?

These injuries range from contusions, to sprains and strains to the back and shoulders as well as fractures.

“Back pain in children is not so uncommon anymore,” according to John Purvis, MD, pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Orthopedic surgeons nationwide have seen an increase in children visiting their offices complaining of back and shoulder pain. If a child complains of back pain, parents should consider that it might be due to the backpack or perhaps something more serious. Back pain that persistently limits a child’s activities, requires medication or alters sleep patterns warrants investigation.”

While some experts disagree on whether heavy backpacks are the source of back pain in children, most agree that using good judgment when wearing one will reduce the risk of backpack-related injuries. It is important to partner with children on the selection, packing and caring of the backpack.

The golden rule in backpack safety is to make sure that the weight of the back pack does not exceed 20% of the child’s weight.  For example, if the child weighs 80lbs, the weight of the backpack should not be more than 16lbs as it will risk more injury.  It is also important, that when choosing a backpack, that both shoulder straps fit properly around the shoulders and snug around the back.  This will ensure proper weight distribution.

As this month of August rolls in, have you children checked at our office in Livermore for backpack injuries and possible scoliosis with our complimentary evaluation August 16-20^th.  Avoid having your children grow up with spinal injuries by calling our office today!

Haque Chiropractic dedicating August to scoliosis screenings for children in Livermore, CA

SCOLIOSIS often deprives people of the things they enjoy most in life as well as in some cases, the ability to learn and prosper.   SCOLIOSIS is the unnatural sideward curvature of the spine that occurs quite often in children and young adults. The early detection and treatment of SCOLIOSIS during the formative years may help prevent it from worsening over time.

As the chiropractic focus is on spinal related conditions CHIROPRACTORS are highly qualified to diagnose and treat scoliosis.

Several patients in my office with chronic back, neck, or head complaints often have a diagnosis of scoliosis that was untreated as a child. In many of these cases their scoliosis was untreated due to it being hidden and never diagnosed and in other cases; the treatment modalities were not effective in managing and reducing the scoliotic curve.   For this reason, we at Haque Chiropractic are devoting our efforts to decrease the serious effects of scoliosis by screening our children in the month of August for possible scoliosis.

In order to examine for scoliosis, a complete examination including postural tests, orthopedic tests, neurologic tests and chiropractic tests will be preformed.  In addition, if any scoliosis is suspected on these tests, a spinal X-ray will complete the exam to diagnose the scoliotic curvature and its severity.  Parents will then get the opportunity to see their x-rays and hear the findings and options that may be available for treatment. 

These scoliosis examinations will be available to all school aged children at Haque Chiropractic complimentary during the week of August 16-20^th.  For more information or to schedule your child’s appointment, contact us or call us today at (925)960-1960.

VERTIGO RELIEF AT HAQUE CHIROPRACTIC in LIVERMORE

A new patient came into my chiropractic office in Livermore, CA today with complaints of dizziness over the last two weeks. She explained that she suddenly began experiencing bouts of dizzy spells where she felt the room was spinning. She also experienced nausea, headaches and fatigue.  She also explained to me that after visiting her medical doctor, she found no relief from the medications prescribed.  Does any of this sound familiar?  In actuality, many people suffer from an episode of vertigo in their lifetime.  There are several types of vertigo but most of them are related to the central nervous system. 

The most common type of vertigo I see in my office is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). This type of vertigo is actually the most type of vertigo diagnosed.  What happens is in this type of vertigo is calcium build up as little crystals in the inner ear causing the irritation and the awful symptoms a person experiences.  The good news is that this type of vertigo is easily treated by positional movements known as Epley’s Maneuver and is something that I have performed on several patients with this type of vertigo. It is painless and in most cases works very quickly (usually one to two treatments dramatically decrease the symptoms). 

The other type of vertigo that Chiropractic can help with is cervicogenic vertigo and vertigo associated with Migraine Headaches.  Most people suffer severely with vertigo and are not aware that solutions including chiropractic treatments, nutritional changes and lifestyle habits can offer a solution in getting rid of many types of vertigo. 

Symptoms of dangerous or severe vertigo that requires medical attention include:  double vision, headache, weakness, difficulty speaking, and difficulty waking up or staying awake, difficulty walking, inappropriate actions, difficulty controlling arm or legs and/or abnormal eye movements. 

If you know someone who is suffering from vertigo and has been diagnosed with BPPV, have them consult with a Chiropractor to see if they can find drug-free relief and a solution to the problem.

Common Questions about Subluxations answered at Haque Chiropractic in Livermore, CA

As a chiropractor in Livermore, in my practice, most of my patients have never heard of the term SUBLUXATIONbefore I mention it to them. In fact, I believe that most of the population in Livermore are not aware of this term and that is why I have decided to write a few words on answering some of the questions around this word…subluxation.

1.  What is a subluxation?  A subluxation is referred to a vertebrae or bone that is out of proper alignment causing pressure on nerves.  This will decrease the electrical impulses that flows through nerves to organs and muscles and can also cause pain as pain receptors are located on the nerves. Although a subluxation is most commonly referred to pinched nerves in the spine, a subluxation can also occur in other areas of the body including elbows, wrists, feet, knees, hips, shoulders etc.  
2. What causes a subluxation?  There are many causes to bones that fall out of alignment and put pressure on nerves such as car accidents, falls, jars of the body, stress, toxins, postural problems, sport injuries, pregnancy, and repetitive mild injuries such as lifting, typing, carrying a heavy backpack etc.
3. How do you sort out the problem?  A chiropractor will examine and find subluxations and adjust the vertebrae or joint back into it’s proper position so that it allows the nerve to work properly and also alleviates pain.  Depending on the type of injury and how long the bone has been out of position that will determine the number of adjustments it will take to keep the bone in it’s proper position.
4. What happens when subluxations are uncared for?  Many people can go for months or years without treating subluxations if there is no indication of pain however, a person with a subluxation loses proper nerve energy which can cause illness and further injuries.  Also a person who has a subluxation is not functioning at 100% as their nervous system is not able to function optimally decreasing brain to body communication.
5. Who needs to be adjusted?  Everybody who has subluxations!  The truth of the matter is that we are always moving and putting demands on our bodies.  That is why it is always best to prevent problems then to treat them. That is one of the reasons many parents bring in their children and babies to have their spines checked for subluxations before it causes damage to their bodies.
6. How do we know if we have subluxations?  There are several tools a chiropractor can use to find a subluxation.  In my office, we complete a thorough examination including postural tests, neurologic tests, orthopedic tests, chiropractic tests, palpation and x-rays to determine where the subluxations are and safe ways to adjust the spine. 

For more information on subluxations and getting checked for subluxations contact us!

Tips on keeping your spine safe in Livermore on your July 4^th holiday!

It’s that time of year, when the days are long and hot and the July 4^thlong weekend is here! During the three-day weekend many of my patients in Livermore tend to cause injury to their necks and backs which can be easily avoided by following the guidelines below.

• Always drink plenty of water to stay cool and prevent yourself from dehydrating. Not only is it necessary for your body’s organs, but lack of water when it gets really warm, will also dry out your muscles increasing your risk of pulled muscles and injuries.
• Take a break! Many times, long weekends are the times when people over-extend their bodies whether it is gardening and yard work, planning for parties, camping or other outdoor activities without giving any thought to their spines.  If you are going to be doing a lot of strenuous activity, make sure you take a breather every hour for a couple of minutes to give your body a break and prevent the repetitive-injuriesthat we see too often in our office in Livermore.
• Stretch! So many times, I hear patients come into the office after the weekend, going on a long hike, moving furniture or playing sports and they complain of aches and pains that could have easily been avoided just by stretching before and after their strenuous activity. This long weekend, wake up and stretch your muscles especially before and after anything that will be strenuous on your body.

Lastly, if you are hurting and have injured yourself, don’t wait for it to just ‘go away’, go in and get examined by a chiropractor to avoid any long standing chronic injuries!

Massage and Chiropractic care can be partners in downtown Livermore

Many times patients come to my office with complaints of back or neck pain and tell me the they ‘pulled’ a muscle and believe that chiropractic care does not apply in treatment of their injury. But nothing could be farther from the truth.  It all lies in anatomy and the physiology of the body.  Every muscle in the body is attached to a bone.  The function of muscles is to move the bones and therefore allow motion of the body.  Ligaments also play a part as they act as the ‘glue’ around the bones forming joints and keeping them together.  So in order for any part of your body to move, the muscle, ligament and bones are always participating.  This means when a person injures or ‘pulls’ their muscle(s), they also affect the ligaments and bones and that is why massage and chiropractic go hand in hand.

In treating an injury, the alignment of the joint is the primary focus of a chiropractic adjustment however in order to truly correct a problem and heal an injury, the muscles and ligaments need to be addressed.  For this reason, at Haque Chiropractic, we have certified massage therapist that work in our office to provide our patients with the muscle repair that their injuries require.  Whether it be deep tissue massage, trigger-point therapy, active release technique or just a some swedish muscle calming, our massage therapist can provide effective muscle and ligament repair along side our patients chiropractic adjustments.

I believe that massage, physical therapy, exercise and nutrition are all partners to chiropractic adjustments and that incorporating all of these into a treatment plan allows for optimal results in the treatment of our patients injuries and their lifetime health.

For more information contact us and find out more about our upcoming 6 year anniversary special where all new patients receive a 30 minute massage free!

DO YOU HAVE TO SEE A CHIROPRACTOR FOREVER IF YOU START?

While consulting a new patient at my Chiropractic office in Livermore today, I was asked a question that is asked all too frequently.   With some hesitance, a lady asked if she became a patient would she have to be a patient for the rest of her life.  I find that this question is a common thought on people’s minds that have never been to a chiropractor before or are unaware of how Chiropractic care works. The answer to the question…..It’s totally up to you!

Chiropractic treatment is not “addictive” or habit-forming like many think. Actually, the reason many people “swear” by their Chiropractor or see a Chiropractor regularly even though they are not hurting is MAINTENANCE and WELLNESS. You may be wondering what that means.  Wellness is a phrase used to describe healthy activities done on a regular basis to keep a person at their optimum health. For example, exercise on a regular basis, taking a multi-vitamin daily, getting a massage on a regular basis, getting your teeth cleaned on a regular basis etc., are all activities that people choose to continue to do to keep them well.  As such, Chiropractic care for life is a CHOICE that patients make once their corrective treatment has completed.

At first, when a new patient comes in for a specific condition such as neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, etc., their treatment plan is based on getting the cause of the pain FIXED so that they do not have to deal with the problem for the rest of their life.  That is what we refer to as CORRECTIVE CARE.    Once their corrective treatment is completed, we complete a thorough re-evaluation of their initial injuries including a re-x ray so we can measure their improvement. At that point, a recommendation of wellness care is suggested say on a monthly basis for example, so that the patient can continue to have a proper functioning pain-free body without drugs for their entire life.

Many patients who come into the office for a maintenance adjustment do it because they want to keep their spines and nervous systems functioning at the most optimal level and it also allows many people to continue with their stressful, activity filled lifestyle without any interference.

For more information on this subject, contact us or email me at drhaque [at] haquechiropractic [dot] com

Five tips on keeping up with your metabolism this summer in Livermore, CA

Your metabolism is the key to burning your body’s fuel, or better yet your body’s fat storage.  Part of keeping up with your weight loss program is to keep your metabolism going. In addition to exercise and portion control, the following are a few tips I offer my clients at Lifestyle Fitness in Livermore.

1. Always eat within one hour of waking up. Eating a healthy small breakfast within an hour of waking has proven to help the body burn more calories because it starts the metabolism. Eating breakfast also helps to get you ready for the day. Try eating a piece of fruit and some egg whites. If you are rushing to your day and can’t spend the time to cook, make a protein shake or take a pack of instant oatmeal with you to have.
2. Drink plenty of water. Water is not only essential for survival, but many studies have shown that dehydration leads to overeating and putting on excess weight. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help you stay hydrated, cleansed and keep your digestive system going.
3. Eat a small meal every 3-4 hours. The key to having a faster metabolism is to fuel your body regularly so that your body is never in starvation mode. When your body hits starvation mode, the next time you eat, your body will store food as fat for the next starvation episode. Try having some almonds, yogurt, or fresh fruit handy when you are too busy to prepare small meals.
4. Spice it up!  Spices such as cayenne pepper have shown to increase the metabolism by heating up your body’s temperature. Instead of grabbing salt, grab some spices which will make your meals taste better and help you burn more calories.
5. Put on some muscle.  Muscle mass is constantly burning calories. Even while you relax and sleep, it is your muscles are still working.  Exercises that include muscle toning and building will not only kick up your metabolism but will also help protect your joints from several injuries that can occur as we age.

For more information on this subject contact me at don [at] donslifestyle [dot] com

BEWARE: Injuries caused by Trampoline use in Livermore, CA

The other day a patient came into the office with her two small children complaining of neck and back pain.  They explained that they had been playing on the trampoline in their backyard and fell a few times on their back and neck. Although they had no immediate symptoms, days afterwards they noticed pain in their necks and backs. 

In 2004, the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that more than 89,000 people were sent to emergency rooms with trampoline-related injuries. And another study, this one by the Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island, found that spring and summer are the time when trampoline injuries hit their peak, and 91% of them happen at home.

A 2000 report by the safety commission found that most injuries associated with the 2 million recreational trampolines in use in American homes were the result of jumpers:

•  Colliding with one another
•   Attempting stunts and flips
•   Falling or jumping off the trampoline
•   Falling onto the trampoline frame or springs

Gary Smith of the American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents to think twice about using backyard trampolines.  “Where we have gone wrong is that (trampolines) have popped up in many backyards, and parents don’t realize the danger involved, and they’re using them as toys without recognizing the hazards,” says Smith, chairman of the academy’s Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention.

Speak to your Family Wellness Chiropractor about having your children evaluated after any incidents or falls on a trampoline.