Should Children Visit a Chiropractor?

Childhood is marked by dramatic change. From infancy to adolescence, your children will experience behavioral changes, growth spurts, and more! Unfortunately, these changes may reveal underlying health problems or developmental delays. While you should always consult your child’s general practitioner (or GP) if they are experiencing pain or discomfort, chiropractors can provide a holistic, natural way to relieve your child’s pain. 

 

Do Chiropractors Treat Children? 

 

Yes, many chiropractors treat children. While 35 million adults visit the chiropractor’s office annually, over 11% of patients are under 18. If you’re looking for a chiropractor that treats children, look for practices with “family” in the name – Family Chiropractors treat all ages.

 

How Early Can a Child Visit a Chiropractor? 

 

That depends on the parents! Typically, children can visit the chiropractor once they’re a few months old. Birth can be a traumatic event for both mother and child, which can result in damage to a newborn’s nervous system and spine. Chiropractic care can alleviate a newborn’s pain and strengthen their nervous system. If you’re nervous about letting a chiropractor see your child, be sure to schedule a consultation first!

 

What Does a Pediatric Chiropractic Appointment Look Like? 

 

Treatment is always tailored to the patient’s unique needs. First, a chiropractor will schedule a consultation to determine your child’s individual needs. This includes obtaining a medical history from the child’s guardians or parents. Then, the chiropractor will schedule a physical examination to identify spinal issues and any other health problems. 

 

It’s important to note that chiropractors will apply less pressure to younger patients. Many chiropractors will use fingertip pressure to gently correct spinal issues and bolster the nervous system. While adjusting spinal joints, you may hear some soft popping noises. This is normal and will not harm your child.

 

When Should a Child Visit a Chiropractor? 

 

Generally, children should see a chiropractor if they suffer from debilitating or chronic pain. If your child’s primary doctor cannot alleviate their pain, a chiropractor may be a useful addition to their treatment schedule. If your child suffers from limited head/neck mobility, back pain, neck pain, hunched shoulders, or irregular sleep patterns, a visit to your local chiropractor may reduce their pain while improving their quality of life. 

 

What Ailments Can a Pediatric Chiropractor Treat? 

 

Chiropractors can treat a wide variety of ailments, no matter the patient’s age. However, children seeking chiropractic care will see improvements if they suffer from several chronic conditions. Chiropractors can alleviate infants’ breastfeeding problems, reflux, colic, and movement issues. Older patients often seek out chiropractic to help with headaches, scoliosis, spinal misalignment, asthma, growing pains, constipation, urinary incontinence, and other chronic issues.

 

Does Chiropractic Treatment Hurt?

 

No. Unless your practitioner is treating a severe injury, chiropractic treatment is painless. Any sensitivity your child experiences during treatment is short-lived and should fade shortly after the adjustment. 

 

Fun for the Whole Family 

The Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic is proud to serve clients of all ages! If you or your child needs chiropractic services, schedule an appointment with us today. Dr. Hartle and his team can usually see you the same day you call.

Five Types of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is one of the best holistic treatments for various ailments. A proven method of pain and stress relief, massage therapy is astonishingly popular – over 47.5 million Americans sought out massage therapy in 2018. Today, we’ll look at five different types of massage therapies and the benefits they offer.

 

Swedish Massage

 

One of the most popular therapeutic massages, the Swedish Massage is both relaxing and energizing. Using long, even strokes and rhythmic tapping motions on the outermost layer of muscles, the Swedish Massage focuses on larger muscles (i.e. legs and arms) as well as smaller areas of the body. This massage focuses on deep movements that break down scar tissue and increases blood flow. More advanced masseuses may use effleurage (gliding strokes that relax muscles) or tapotement (short taps using cupped hands.)

 

Hot Stone Massage

The hot stone massage is another popular therapeutic massage. Created over 5,000 years ago, the hot stone massage was “reborn” in 1993 and experienced a surge in popularity during the next two decades. This therapeutic massage uses warm basalt stones to penetrate muscles and treat stiff limbs. The warm stones are used to massage muscles and relax the body. The heat improves blood flow and circulation while releasing accumulated toxins from the body. To increase effectiveness, have your chiropractor or masseuse place stones over the most stiff muscles in your body.

 

Deep Tissue Massage 

 

Perfect for those who suffer from chronic pain and tension, the deep tissue massage eases pain and releases toxins from the body. Using deep pressure to penetrate the body, it fixes spammed and knotted muscles as well as heal fibrous adhesion and trigger points. The deep tissue massage can potentially offer relief from chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia. It can also relieve chronic neck and back pain. Studies suggest that this massage can also improve posture, aid in sports-related muscle recovery, improve limited mobility, and aid in injury rehabilitation. 

 

The Thai Massage 

 

Dating back 7,000 years, the Thai massage is more “active” than other Western Massages. Instead of lying on a bed, customers lie on the floor and actively participate during the session. Thai massage is a combination of yoga, acupressure, and zen shiatsu. Practitioners will gently guide their clients into yoga-like poses and apply a slow, rhythmic massage that increases energy levels and blood flow. Participants can expect to transition from one position to the next to open the joints and facilitate limbering. 

 

A Thai massage has four basic poses: lying supine, lying on one’s side, lying on the back, and sitting up. While the pressure may seem intense at first, an experienced chiropractor will adjust to their clients’ needs. The Thai massage has numerous benefits for the body, including increasing flexibility, eliminating pain, improving posture, stimulating blood circulation, and relieving swollen joints. 

 

Shiatsu Massage 

 

Meaning “finger pressure” in Japanese, the Shiatsu massage is based on applying rhythmic pressure to key points of the body. By applying pressure, the massage is said to restore vital energy (chi). There are many benefits to the Shiatsu massage, including pain relief, headache relief, and improved sleep quality. 

 

If you’re looking for massage therapy that will treat your pain, Dr. Hartle and his team of experts have you covered! The professionals at Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic are fast, efficient, and can usually see you the same day you call. Book an appointment today!

Five Ways That Family Chiropractic Care Can Benefit You

One of the greatest aspects of chiropractic is how it can be modified and customized for each patient. Every family member can find ways to better their health, whether it be a young athlete building their strength, an older grandparent recovering their balance, or a parent lessening their recovery time. At Allen County Family and Sports Chiropractic, we’ve had years of experience treating Fort Wayne families, and we can provide you with specialized care. 

Not just for adults

Chiropractic is often associated with treating back pain, and while that is a major part of the practice, that’s just the beginning. Adults can underestimate how much strain a child’s body can undergo with constant growth, rough play, sports, and common accidents. Children are hard on their bodies! According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, children can see these results from visiting with a chiropractor:

• Deeper and more consistent sleep
• Stronger immune system
• Improved behavior

Children may not recognize when something is wrong with their bodies, or they may not have the words to express their worries. This is why seeing a spinal expert can ensure healthy development. The spinal cord is full of nerves that connect throughout the body, so it is vital that posture and vertebrae are regularly corrected. 

Maintain youthful energy

We are all seeking ways to stay young, to continually improve our mental and physical health. But we cannot ignore the stress of day-to-day life, nor the exertion we inflict on our bodies in that quest. 

What achievements are on your bucket list? Running a half-marathon? Hitting a bench press PR? Maybe just playing a game of tennis without your wrist hurting?

As our bodies age and change, we need to be able to adapt our lifestyles and habits to be on the best path. Setting new goals gives us something to strive for, but those challenges also need to be realistic, and we need to be adequately prepared for them. A chiropractor can help point and correct misalignments or problems you may not even be aware of. 

Prevent and Treat Pain

Studies have reported up to 20% of Americans have chronic pain. While not all discomfort can be treated, chiropractic can help lessen the severity, or build up muscles around the place of injury. In a 2017 report, the American College of Physicians published that chiropractic is a method for treating chronic lower back pain. 

Not only can chiropractors help you recover from injury, but they can stop damage happening in the first place. Increasing your flexibility, familiarity with pressure, and nutrition can prepare your body for building up your strength, speed, and reaction time without harming yourself. 

Holistic, natural treatment

One of the most appealing aspects of chiropractic is how it is drug-free, and built around your lifestyle. Chiropractic doctors consider your medical history, past experience, lifestyle, and conduct a preliminary examination before performing any adjustments or providing advice. Bodily pain is often given a default answer of ‘medication’, which can lead to complications, side-effects, and unseen consequences. But with chiropractic, all treatment is personal, intrinsic, and designed to help encourage your body to perform. 

Call us today to learn how we can help you feel better, be more capable, and achieve new heights!