Is this going to Hurt? Omaha Chiropractor explains what to expect from treatment.

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A common question I get before a patients 1st adjustment; Is this going to hurt?

 I am big on using analogies to help people understand.  My analogy for this situation is:

What you might experience is similar to working out for the first time. Your body isn’t used to being adjusted and might react by getting a little sore.   Just like after your first workout you might be a little sore because your body isn’t used to the change. The soreness doesn’t mean that something is wrong, it just shows that change is happening in your body. Like working out, adjustments help your body improve. So even if you do experience a little soreness after your first adjustment it’s worth it.

 If you are really worried about soreness or the treatment hurting at Becker Chiropractic & Acupuncture we offer alternative treatments that are very gentile. These less aggressive techniques will minimize the chance of soreness, while still helping you feel better.

If you live in or around Omaha, Nebraska I invite you in for a Free Consultation to see if we can help you.

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Once I go to a Chiropractor I will have to go Forever.

May 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is one of the most common misconceptions patients have before coming into our office. I have never forced or asked my patients to come back forever. Their care is always their choice.

 Then you might ask why some people continue to go to a Chiropractor their whole life? The answer is they choose to, they are not brainwashed as some people think. They have experienced the benefits of what Chiropractic can do for them and they want to continue.

 An analogy I use in my office is brushing your teeth. Why do you brush your teeth? Do you start brushing your teeth after you have so many cavities that you are in extreme pain? No, most people brush their teeth to avoid cavities and extra trips to the dentist. Chiropractic care is the same way. By keeping your alignment you can avoid or lessen problems when they do occur. Most of my patients understand that prevention of a problem is usually easier and cheaper than fixing one. Some patients choose to come in only when they aren’t feeling well, and I am completely fine with that. As I said before their care is always their choice.

 If you live around one of our 2 locations, Omaha or Louisville, Nebraska I invite you to come to Becker Chiropractic & Acupuncture to see if we can help you. As always you can check out our website by clicking here to see our reviews or to get more information on our office.

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Omaha, Nebraska Chiropractor’s Favorite Stretch for Neck Pain

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I call it the two finger stretch and it works great for patients suffering from neck pain and stiffness.  It is very easy to do and can really help healing and restoring normal range of motion.

As with any stretch, it should not cause pain and if you are sore the next day don’t stretch quite so far next time.  Lastly you should check with your local Chiropractor to make sure that it is safe for you to perform the stretch. If you live in or around Omaha, Nebraska you can come in to Becker Chiropractic and Acupuncture for an examination.

How to Perform:

Standing or sitting straight up, turn your head to the right as far as you can comfortably.  Now take two fingers on your left hand and place them on your left cheek.  Slowly rotate your head farther to the right by pushing with your left hand. Try to relax your neck muscles and let your fingers hold your head. Stop the movement if you experience any pain, numbness or dizziness. Hold for 10-12 seconds and repeat going the opposite direction. Perform the stretch 2-3 times a day unless you begin to experience any addition symptoms.

Stretching is a great adjunct to Chiropractic adjustments.  If you are experiencing neck pain or headaches get it checked out before it gets worse.

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What is KinesioTape?

April 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I learned about Kinesio Tape while in chiropractic college and I was intrigued but skeptical.  Kinesio Tape is a product and a series of techniques to support your body.  Kind of like athletic white tape you see athletes put on the ankles before games.  So how is Kinesio Taping different?

First is the tape is elastic and can stretch up to 150% it’s original length.  This means that you can have more range of motion with less restriction than other tapes.  The elasctic property also helps to support strained or sprained body parts by acting like a rubberband and helping pull them back.

For most applications you only use one piece of short tape.  If you have ever seen someone get their ankle taped they use a half a roll of athletic tape, with kinesio tape one piece is usually enough.  Kinesio tape will last up to 5 days, you can workout with it on, you can shower with it on.  It is a very durable tape, where with athletic tape it usually has to be taken off when the activity is over.

Kinesio Tape can help reduce inflammation/swelling in injuries.  I recently twisted my ankle playing basketball and immediately applied kinesio tape and was able to get around way better after the tape was on.  The ankle swelling was kept at a minimum and I was able to walk around with out much difficulty.  I attached a picture of a leg that was severly inflammed and you can see how the kinesio tape help push the inflammation out.

I have used kinesio tape on all different types of injuries and the more I use it the more I like it.  For most of my patients I will apply the tape and teach them how to do it themselves, that way they don’t have to come in everytime they need it applied.  There are several different types of kinesio tape and my favorite has been Rock Tape.

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Can Acupuncture Help with Weight Loss?

March 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

One of the most common reasons patients come in for acupuncture at Becker Chiropractic in Omaha NE is for weight loss.  The first thing I tell my patients is that acupuncture is not the end all be all for weight loss.  Acupuncture can be used in combination with diet and exercise to speed up the weight loss and make positive changes in your body.

Acupuncture for weight loss doesn’t work for everyone, but for most people they get at least some benefit.  Since acupuncture has no side effects it is much safer than a lot of the other avenues people try to help with weight loss.

The area of weight loss that acupuncture helps with is cravings and portion control while eating.  It will not melt fat and it won’t make you wake up the next day and be a dress size smaller, but if you can make small improvements through your diet you will get long term success rather than yo-yo dieting which is never an effective method.

My recommendation would be if you are wanting to lose some weight and you struggle with always feeling hungry or eating to much when you do give acupuncture a try, it can’t hurt and if it helps it will really speed up your weight loss.

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Omaha Chiropractor describes intermediate neck exercise

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no exercise equipment.
It works the longus capitis, longus colli, SCM (sternocleidomastoid) muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase neck strength and muscular endurance.
The benefits are improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.
chiropractor omaha Omaha Chiropractor describes intermediate neck exercise
Begin by lying on the back with the head extended off the table, maintaining a chin tuck position.
Slowly extend the head back towards the floor and then raise the head, returning to the initial neutral starting position and repeat as instructed.
Move slowly through the range of motion.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: chiropractic

Chiropractor in Omaha explains knee exercises for beginners.

March 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase knee strength and muscular endurance.
By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

chiropractor omaha Chiropractor in Omaha explains knee exercises for beginners.

Begin lying on floor facing up.
Bend knees so feet are firmly on floor.
Extend arms upward toward ceiling.
Activate core muscles.
Lift hips off floor to attain a bridge position with knees, hips and shoulders in alignment.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

Initially, you may develop some cramping in the back of your thigh. A simple hamstring stretch before and after may prevent this from occurring.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: chiropractic

Chiropractic hip exercises for Omaha.

February 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the gluteus medius/minimus, piriformis and hip lateral rotators muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to Increase hip strength and muscular endurance. By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury
chiropractor omaha Chiropractic hip exercises for Omaha.
Begin lying on side on the floor with legs extended.
Top leg should attain a straight line through hip and shoulder.
Bottom leg may be bent for added stability.
Activate core muscles.
Lift top leg upward, abducting leg as foot simultaneously rotates. This will result in a toe-up position.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: chiropractic

Omaha Chiropractor shares ankle exercises for beginners.

February 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the peroneus longus/brevis, tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius, soleus muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to improve muscular endurance, ankle strength, and proprioception.
By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

chiropractor omaha Omaha Chiropractor shares ankle exercises for beginners.
Begin seated in a chair with good posture.
Extend leg.
Attempt to write alphabet from A through Z with toes, moving ankle in all directions.
Repeat for prescribed sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: chiropractic

Chiropractor Omaha shares low back exercises for beginners.

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here is a simple exercises that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the multifidus, erector spinae, transverse abdominus, oblique muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to Increase low back strength and muscular endurance. By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention
chiropractor omaha Chiropractor Omaha shares low back exercises for beginners.

Begin lying on your back.
Extend arms above head flat on floor.
Activate core and lift knees above hips and maintain a 90/90 hip and knee position.
Activate core.
Lift one arm off the floor and raise it towards ceiling until above shoulder level while simultaneously extending one leg downward towards floor.
Pause momentarily.
Return to start position, alternating sides.
Core activation should be maintained throughout entire exercise.
Repeat for recommended repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: chiropractic
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