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Your Posture Tip for January — Crescent Moon

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Happy Holidays from Ajax-Pickering Village Chiropractic

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As Christmas draws near, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, our patients, for trusting us with your care over the past year. It has been our pleasure and privilege to be part of your wellness journey.

Special thanks go to those of you who purchased items for our sponsored Christmas family. The response from our patients was overwhelming and we are humbled by your generosity. Thank you for helping us to make a family’s Christmas a little brighter!

Dr. Fera will be in the office on Friday, December 28th (3 to 6 pm) and Saturday, December 29th (12:30 to 2 pm, by appointment only). Leanne and Christine will be on hand during those times if you’d like to book a massage or chiropractic appointment. Dr. Noble will return to the office on Thursday, January 3rd.

We wish you all the best of the season and a happy, healthy year ahead.
Dr. Noble, Dr. Fera, Jessica, Rolf, Carolyn, Leanne and Christine

Protect Your Back This Winter: Lift Light, Shovel Right

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Courtesy of the Ontario Chiropractic Association
Although southern Ontario has been spared large snowfalls so far this month, we know it’s just a matter of time before we have to head out to shovel the driveway before dashing off to work.

The Ontario Chiropractic Association’s “Lift Light, Shovel Right” campaign encourages shovellers to stay safe this season by following the following six tips:


Warm up before you shovel.
It’s probably the last thing you want to do before you shovel the driveway, but warming up your muscles with a 10-minute walk (even on the spot) followed by some simple stretching will reduce your chance of injury.

Don’t let the snow pile up.

If the weather report is calling for several days of snow, shovel more frequently to avoid having to move large amounts of snow.

Pick the right shovel.
It’s time to retire your metal shovel and invest in a lightweight pusher-type version. If you must use a metal shovel, spray it with Teflon first so the snow will slide off.

Push, don’t throw the snow.
Avoid heavy lifting and sudden twisting and turning movements by pushing the snow to the side rather than throwing it.

Keep your back straight and bend your knees.

If you do have to lift a shovelful of snow, keep your back straight and remember to use your knees and your leg and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting.

Take a break.
Don’t be hero. If you start feeling tired or short of breath, stop for a few minutes and rest. If you feel chest or back pain, stop shovelling immediately. If you have severe back pain or pain that persists more than a day after shovelling, visit a chiropractor.

Chiropractors Dr. John Noble and Dr. Mark Fera are regulated primary health care providers serving Durham Region and beyond. Their training enables them to assess, diagnose and treat disorders of the spine, nervous system and joints and they can be seen without a referral from another health care provider. To book an appointment, call Ajax-Pickering Village Chiropractic today at 905-427-3202.

Your Posture Tip for December — Runner’s Lunge

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November is Osteoporosis Awareness Month

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What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue. This leads to increased bone fragility and risk of fractures (broken bone).
 

Osteoporosis is sometimes confused with osteoarthritis because the names are similar. Osteoporosis is a bone disease; osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints and surrounding tissue.

Bones are constantly being renewed naturally. But with age, this process becomes less efficient and bone mineral density is lost. When bone mineral density is lower than normal, but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis, it is called osteopenia.

Osteoporosis causes bones to become very thin and weak over time and increases the risk of fracture. It is often called the “silent thief” because bone loss occurs without symptoms.

When bones are seriously weakened by osteoporosis, even simple movements such as bending over to pick up a bag of groceries or sneezing heavily can lead to fractures.

Important Osteoporosis facts:

  • Most common sites of osteoporotic fracture are the wrist, spine, shoulder and hip.
  • Osteoporosis can strike at any age.
  • Osteoporosis affects both men and women.
  • Women and men alike begin to lose bone in their mid-30’s; as they approach menopause, women lose bone at a greater rate, from 2-3% per year.
  • Fractures from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.
  • At least 1 in 3 women and 1 and 5 men will suffer from osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime.
  • Over 80% of all fractures in people 50+ are caused by osteoporosis.
  • 28% of women and 37% of men who suffer a hip fracture will die within the following year.
  • Osteoporotic hip fractures consume more hospital bed days than stroke, diabetes, or heart attack.
  • A Canadian study showed that 14% of persons with a wrist fracture suffered a repeat fracture within three days.
  • One in three hip fracture patients re-fracture at one year and over1 in 2 will suffer another fracture within 5 years.
  • The risk of suffering a second spine fracture within the first 12 months following an initial vertebral fracture is 20%.
Risks factors of Osteoporosis
In addition to age, there are several factors that will increase your risk of developing osteoporosis.
  • Family history
  • Osteopania
  • Low body weight
  • Diet low in calcium
  • Low levels of activity
  • Ovaries removed or early menopause (before that age of 45), without hormone replacement
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Smoking
  • Excessive caffeine intake (more than four cups a day of coffee, tea or cola) or excessive alcohol intake (more than two drinks a day)
  • Long-term oral use of some medications such as cortisone, prednisone or anticonvulsants
Minimizing Your Risk
If you have some of the risk factors listed above, talk to your doctor about getting a bone density test and take preventative action to reduce the risk. Some of the things you can do to protect your bones:
  • Eat well.
  • Include calcium in your diet.
  • Get enough vitamin D.
  • Be active every day.
  • Avoid smoking.
Ajax chiropractors Dr. Noble and Dr. Fera do not treat osteoporosis directly. They are able to reduce some of the symptoms, however, particularly relating to spinal compression fracture, and can offer advice to help prevent further fractures. Both Dr. Noble and Dr. Fera can modify the treatment and find the chiropractic treatment method that suits you.

To learn how chiropractic care can support your symptoms, contact the clinic at 905–427–3202.

For more in-depth information, visit www.hc-sc.ga.ca and www.osteoporosis.ca .

Do You Have Neck or Shoulder Pain? Improve Your Posture While at the Computer with These Common Sense Solutions

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November is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Month — Learn the Facts

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Whether you suffer from Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis or know someone who does, you’re probably familiar with how difficult a subject it can be to discuss. And while the symptoms for each disease are not exactly dinner conversation, they are too serious to ignore.

Ajax chiropractors Dr. John Noble and Dr. Mark Fera help many of their patients manage the symptoms of Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Since November is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Month, they would like to take this opportunity to provide valuable information and the facts about each disease.
 

Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can damage the lining of any part of the digestive system, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, or anus. This inflammatory disease most often affects the small intestine, especially a portion known as the terminal ileum.

Crohn’s disease causes inflammation, sores, bleeding and scarring of the walls of the digestive system. The inflammation occurs in patches, and can penetrate deep into the walls of the digestive system. Patches of inflammation are interspersed between healthy portions of the gut, and can penetrate the intestinal layers from inner to outer lining. It can also affect the mesentery, which is the network of tissue that holds the small bowel to the abdomen and contains the main intestinal blood vessels and lymph glands.

  • In 2008, $141 million was spent on prescription drugs for the treatment of Crohn’s disease.
  • The majority of Crohn’s patients will require hospitalization at some point and more than half will require surgery.
  • Worldwide, there are 177 pharmaceutical products indicated for Crohn’s and 53 pharmaceutical products in clinical trials.
  • More than 110,000 people in Canada are affected by Crohn’s disease, 1 out of every 20 patients is hospitalized.
  • Crohn’s can affect people at any age, and it is usually diagnosed when people are between 15 to 25 years old or 45 to 55 years old.
  • The disease can have a devastating impact on people lives.
  • Patients with moderate to severe Crohn’s have an increased risk of premature death similar to that reported for moderate smokers.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the large intestine (also known as the colon) in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers that produce pus and mucous. The combination of inflammation and ulceration can cause abdominal discomfort and frequent emptying of the colon.
Ulcerative colitis is the result of an abnormal response by your body’s immune system. Normally the cells and proteins that make up the immune system protect you from infection.  However, the immune system mistakes food, bacteria and other materials in the intestine for foreign or invading substances. When this happens, the body sends white bloods cells into the lining of the intestine, where they produce chronic inflammation and ulcerations.
  • In 2008, $21 million was spent on prescription drugs for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
  • Every year, 1 out of every 20 patients with ulcerative colitis is hospitalized and at some point less than 1/5 will require surgery.
  • Each hospital stay costs $9,400 and the total cost for 2008 has been estimated to be $120 million.
  • Ulcerative colitis is most commonly diagnosed in people aged 20 or older.
  • Worldwide, there are 189 pharmaceutical products indicated ulcerative colitis and 53 pharmaceutical products currently in clinical trials.
It is important to understand the difference between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; where as ulcerative colitis affects only the colon. Additionally, Crohn’s affects all layers of the bowel wall; ulcerative colitis only affects the lining of the colon.
Shared symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
It is often difficult to diagnose which form of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) a patient is suffering from because both Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis cause similar symptoms.
Symptoms related to inflammation of the GI tract
  • Diarrhea
  • Rectal bleeding
  • Urgent need to move bowels
  • Abdominal cramps and pain
  • Sensation of incomplete evacuation
  • Constipation (can lead to bowel obstruction)
General symptoms that may also be associated with IBD:
  • Fever
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Night sweats
  • Loss of normal menstrual cycle
Both illnesses do have one strong feature in common. They are marked by an abnormal response by the body’s immune system.
Can Crohn’s and Colitis be cured?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease yet. As for colitis, because it’s not known what causes ulcerative colitis, they do not know the cure. However, if severe symptoms persist in spite of medication and other therapies, a surgeon may remove the colon. By doing so, the patient is “cured” of ulcerative colitis and the disease will not return anywhere else in the GI tract. In effect, a “cure” has been achieved.
To learn how Dr. Noble and Dr. Fera can support your symptoms through regular chiropractic adjustments, contact Ajax-Pickering Village Chiropractic at 905=427–3202.
For additional information on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, visit www.cdhf.ca, www.ccfa.organd www.ccfc.ca.

Your Posture Tip for November — Bow Pose

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Tips for Making Your Halloween a Little Less Scary

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Halloween can be a fun and exciting time for both children and adults. However, the excitement of Halloween shouldn’t make us forget about food safety. Please keep in mind that children with allergies and food sensitivities must be especially careful before eating trick-or-treat goodies or certain foods served at Halloween gatherings

The following steps will help make Halloween an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Before trick-or-treating:
  • Remind children not to eat any of their collected goodies while out trick-or-treating until they are inspected by an adult.
  • Be sure your kids know not to accept –– and especially not to eat — homemade candy or baked goods from people they don’t know.
  • Give children a snack or light dinner before they go out to help prevent them from munching while trick-or-treating. Don’t send them out on an empty stomach!
After trick-or-treating:
  • Throw out any collected homemade candy or baked goods.
  • Check all commercially wrapped treats. Throw out any treats that are not wrapped, those in torn or loose packages, or those which have small holes in the wrappers.
  • Be cautious before giving young children treats that could be potential choking hazards, such as chewy candies, gum, hard candies, lollipops, peanuts and mini-cup jelly products. (Depending on the size, shape, consistency and composition, mini-cup jelly products may become lodged in the throat and may be difficult to remove.)
  • Wash fresh fruit thoroughly. Inspect it for holes, including small punctures, and if found, do not let children or adults eat the fruit.
  • Remember: when in doubt, throw it out!
Children with allergies and sensitivities
Some Halloween treats may contain ingredients which cause severe adverse reactions in children who have allergies or sensitivities. These treats often include ingredients such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg — some of the most common food allergens.

Take the following precautions before allowing children with allergies and sensitivities to eat any Halloween goodies:

  • Throw away homemade candy or baked goods.
  • Read labels carefully for all commercially wrapped treats.
  • Avoid products that do not have a list of ingredients. Bear in mind that Halloween candies do not always have ingredients listed on their labels.
  • Avoid products with precautionary labeling (“may contain” statements).
  • Do not allow your children to consume a particular product if you are unsure if it contains an allergen.
For more Halloween safety tips, click here.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from your friends at Ajax-Pickering Village Chiropractic! 

Has Your Child Suffered a Concussion? What Every Parent Needs to Know

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Concussion injuries and post-concussion syndrome have received a great deal of media attention recently. Worldwide, professional athletes from a variety of sports appear almost daily in newspapers, magazines and online in discussion about head injuries, return-to-play and long-term health issues.

Head injuries are not limited to professional sports but are inherent to all sport activities. In every community, there are hundreds of young athletes who participate in the same sports and recreational activities as professional athletes. They, too, encounter the risk of injury on a regular basis. Overall, hockey and rugby have the highest incidence of concussion.

Concussions arise after an injury to the tissues or blood vessels in the brain. This occurs when the soft tissues are pressed against the bone of the skull, and is a direct result of an impact or blow to the head experienced during a fall or from an injury incurred while playing sports.

Ajax chiropractors Dr. John Noble and Dr. Mark Fera treat a number of children and teens who are actively involved in hockey, football and rugby (among other contact sports). They know how important it is for parents to recognize the signs of a concussion, and what to do if their child encounters a head injury during a sporting event or a fall.  Head injuries should not be taken lightly and it’s important to know the symptoms.
The general symptoms of concussion vary, and depend on the severity of the injury and the individual themselves. The primary sign of a concussion is a loss of consciousness. Other signs and symptoms include:
  • headache
  • memory loss
  • vomiting
  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • blurred vision
  • reduced energy
  • ringing in the ears
Depending on the severity of the injury and how the concussion is managed, the results may range from a mild head pain or a more serious brain damage. However, most concussions are mild and usually require rest and time.
 
What is often overlooked in a head trauma is the injury to the neck. Injuries involving whiplash are very commonly associated with a concussion. The soft tissue injury in the neck can also contribute to the symptoms of a concussion, such as headaches, dizziness, numbness and tingling in the head and arms. 
When treating patients who have suffered a concussion, Dr. Noble and Dr.Fera assess the neck for soft tissue injuries and misalignments. Adjustments, massage and other modalities are helpful in controlling the swelling and spasms of the soft tissue, as well as reducing the nerve pressure from the neck structures. 
If you suspect your child has suffered a head injury (with or without loss of consciousness), it is crucial that you get a medical evaluation as soon as possible. Do not have your child return to any sport or physical activity if they are showing any of the signs listed above. In addition, be aware of the possibily that a potential neck injury may occur along with a concussion. 
If you suspect your child is suffering from whiplash-related symptoms, call Ajax-Pickering Village Chiropractic today at 905-427-3202 and book a consultation with Dr. Noble or Dr. Fera.