child seat restraints safety in auto accidents

when performing an initial intake with a patient that has been involved in a rear end whiplash injury and when asked if there was any one else injured in the car when I hear the response " only my child but they were in a child seat in the back and they're OK" I just scratch my head at that logic. A child seat is a 4 point restraint, much like a NASCAR or racing car would have. That means that the buckle point meets in the middle , restraining both shoulders and hips as opposed to an adult belt that secures at the shoulder and one hip. The significance of this is that while on a 4 point seat the body is secure the head is not and in a rear end collision a child's head is free to move causing injury to undeveloped muscles and ligaments that are inherently weak at that age. As a child is not usually able to articulate at a young age how they feel, after the initial crying is over the parent assumes all is O.K. when in fact there may be extensive soft tissue injury that left untreated may be a health issue later on. Most significant residual whiplash symptoms I have seen in my practice are frequent bouts of TORTICOLLIS (painful restriction of the neck) unusually frequent complaints of HEADACHES, fatigue and unusual restriction of motion of the neck or low back. It is very important to have your child examined by your chiropractor after an accident as we are able to assess soft tissue injuries and treat accordingly...chiropractic care for a child can never start to early and whats good for you is good for your child. For more info or questions on how we can help you or your child with whiplash/ auto accident treatment go to www.missionvillagechiropractic.com or www.blakelychiropractic.com and link to our questions tab.

All things Omega

I find that patients I see who have a difficult time holding an adjustment are often the ones who are defiecient in EFA's (essential fatty acids) Most people think omega, it must be salmon or some other cold water (best source) fish, which is true, but there are other sources that are as important and that round out the EFA triad as I call it. Borage oil Omega-6 supplies one of the richest sources of Omega-6 and is also important in cardiovascular health, supporting capillaries and nerve integrity. Flaxseed oil is a seed derivative and is one of the best plant sources of the Omega-3, supporting cardio-vascular health as a result of being a strong anti-oxidant.
So what does all of the above have to do with a spinal adjustment? Lack of the above causes the increase of cell destroying free radicals which wreck havoc on cell integrity leading to inflammation and early loss of the ability of the cell to function..ultimately dying. So the connection is the overall inability of the nervous and musculoskeletal system to not function correctly, so the treatment I give will not be as successful as it would be to another patient who is inherently in better health.
Although this scenario is over simplified, as there are other reasons for inflammation and spasm, we can all agree that a good diet and regular exercise will in the long run promote a healthier life style. I recommend Omega 3-6-9 and is available in our office.

post whiplash jaw pain

Pseudo (false) jaw pain can commonly occur after an automobile accident and be misdiagnosed in most part because that type of pain often arises from the neck...a very common complaint post rear end collision. A patient I saw recently related that after her auto accident she saw her dentisit complaining of jaw pain with headaches. After diagnosing her as having TMJ disorder he recommended a splint and anti-inflammatory medication. Her jaw pain and headaches became worse and at a friends suggestion she came to be under our care.Upon further evaluation we discovered that she was experiencing referred pain actually from the neck, and began treatment specifically for that. She now is 80% improved, without headaches and very happy she began chiropractic care after her motor vehicle accident...so you see sometimes you have to look outside the box!!

it's been a good year

Obama care unknown...Medicare cuts for services...capitated reimbursement...bickering congress that can't agree on what day it is..increasing malpractice costs..but I still LOVE WHAT I DO AND AM STOKED TO BE A CHIROPRACTOR!!!!!!

Will Obama Care Work?

The burning question of how effective Obama care will be rages on without relief in sight. There are several clauses that do merit approval and that I personally believe are worthy of passage. But to scrap the whole system to insure the 15% of our population that are without insurance does not seem ,in my opinion, to be the answer. One easy initial solution would be to open insurance to competition from other states, much like group insurance is for large companies, which most will agree should reduce rates by 10 to 15%!! Now don't get me wrong..I still feel that some carriers are predatory, but I FEEL THEY ARE A BEAST WE CAN TAME!!

Chiropractic & The Military

Recent Senate report urges more Chiropractic care for active troops which should expand care to all branches of the service. ABOUT TIME!! They have discovered what we have known all along, musculoskeletal spinal injuries are double those of combat injuries and are increasing. This is extremely good news in that it will bring more chiropractors into service in all branches to treat the problems we treat best. Now, if we can just make them see that dependents also need care we will turn the page in a new chapter on chiropractic!!!

http://www.missionvillagechiropractic.com

add to auto repair check list after accident

Did you know that after an auto accident you should have your seat belts checked for safety? That's right, the springs that recoil/retract the belt back into the roof pillar of the car often get damaged so that the next time your body weight is forced forward the belt does not stop where it should and can pose the possibility of the chest striking the steering wheel..Also a good idea to have the detonation system for the air bags checked to be sure that corrosion has not occured over the years which could fail in a collision..