Finding Relief from Spinal Stenosis Without Surgery!

Have you been told that you have spinal stenosis? 

If so, you're not alone. Millions of people suffer from spinal stenosis each day, and it's the number one reason why people over 65 years old have spine surgery. But, drugs and surgery and NOT the only way to find relief. 

Spinal stenosis is merely a compression of the spinal cord or the thecal sac. Stenosis is narrowing, pinching, or compression. Spinal refers to your spinal cord. So spinal stenosis simply is pinching or compressions that occur in the spinal canal on the spinal cord.

For many people, the most significant challenge associated with spinal stenosis is the decreased ability to get up and move! The hallmark of spinal stenosis is pain in the low back, a bent forward posture, and legs that always feel tired. If you've suffered from spinal stenosis, you probably are always looking for that grocery cart to lean on as you go throughout the store. And if you don't one close by, you're probably looking for a chair to sit down. Sitting down is the easiest thing you can do to relieve the symptoms and pain temporarily. But as soon as you get up and walking the symptoms again will return as gravity takes over and starts compressing the spinal cord again. 

One of the best ways you can relieve the symptoms associated with spinal stenosis is to open up the spinal canal and take the pressure off of the nerves and spinal cord. Many chiropractic techniques focus on increasing the size of that canal by going into a flexed position, or a forward position, which is naturally comfortable and allows relief of the symptoms associated with spinal stenosis. 

After chiropractic care, many patients report having a decrease in their symptoms, the ability to walk further without pain, and an improvement in their quality of life. 

So if you have been slowing down if your quality of life has been impacted due to compression on your spinal cord do not hesitate to see a chiropractor and ask if chiropractic care may be right for you. 

Chiropractic is 98% BS- A Response to Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan recently came out with a very very viral and popular podcast and video where he said 98 percent of Chiropractic is BS. Well, I am a chiropractor. I run The Evidence Based Chiropractor which is focused on chiropractic research; as well as working hand in hand every day with Johns Hopkins trained neurosurgeons and more. 

So, I wanted to create a short video for Joe and everyone else out there showcasing where he was right, where he might be wrong, and a few other tip so the next time that he visits a chiropractor he can have a better experience. I think that he had a lot of great points, he just was a little bit misguided. 

Some things that Joe was correct on is that for many medical doctors they don't focus on preventative maintenance of the spine. They're not talking about yoga, they're not talking about proper spinal hygiene, they're not talking about ergonomics and sitting up straight and really strengthening those core muscles around the spine. Joe is 100 percent correct that typically medical doctors don't talk about that. Now ironically, chiropractors are the best health care professionals to talk about exactly those topics. 

So if you are into CrossFit if you are into staying active later in your years; if you want to have the highest quality of life; proper spinal hygiene, flexibility, and taking care of your spine under gravity is unbelievably important. But again, ironically, during Joe's 98 percent of Chiropractic is BS rant, he failed to mention that chiropractors are the best health care professionals to give advice directly on those topics. 

Also Joe was correct that when a disk bulges or herniates, it can create a situation where that disk presses up against a nerve as it travels out of the spine column. This can result in nerve compression. If that happens in the neck it can cause pain, numbness, tingling, and more down into the shoulders arms and hands. Now if that compression, that disc pressing on the nerve, happens in a low back, it can cause pain, numbness, tingling symptoms down into the buttocks and into the legs. 

But again, rather ironically, Chiropractic has been universally promoted and stood behind as the primary treatment option, the first treatment option, that you should explore if you are suffering from a bulge or herniated disc. Groups like the American College of Physicians the American Pain Society, prestigious research journals such as Spine Journal, European Spine Journal and more have all made recommendations that chiropractic care, chiropractic adjustments, are one of the primary options that you seek if you happen to be suffering from a bulge or a herniated disc. 

Now obviously Joe did not have the best experience with his chiropractor. And it's not fair of me to comment specifically on his case because I don't have his medical records in front of me. But there are a few items that I think he can learn, as well as you, that can help you have the best experience the next time you visit a chiropractor. Number one is communication is key. 

Joe said he was treated for over a year and then I got the MRI and there was a bulging disc. He said he knew he had it the whole time. Now if you've been treated for more than six or eight weeks without improvement, if you have muscle atrophy, if you have worsening nerve pain, then absolutely an MRI may be indicated to be able to get a better look at the pathology or the problem that's causing that pain. 

But remember even after that MRI comes back with a bulged or a herniated disc quite often your best first line of defense that the research proves out time and time again is starting your care in a chiropractic office. So if you have any questions about this please comment below. I would love to hear back what you have to say. 

I would also love it if Joe eventually saw this video I would love to have a chat with him and see where I can provide value for him and more education regarding where chiropractic starts where chiropractic stops and what the current data says regarding the usage of chiropractic care. I hope you have a great day and I'll talk to you.

Tips to Protect Your Spine This Holiday - Dr. Langmaid featured on Studio10 Live

Just last week, I was able to be featured on Studio10 Live morning show giving holiday travel tips to the people of Tampa Bay.

We focused on the items below-
Check your posture. Remember all of those times your mother told you to sit up straight with your feet on the ground? Well, believe it or not, she was actually teaching you a very valuable lesson in posture, one that could mean the difference between bliss and pain for your back. When traveling make sure that you are sitting upright with your knees at no greater than a 90-degree angle.
Embrace heat. Whether you are traveling, visiting a friend, shopping or just roaming around the house, heat therapy can help reduce your chronic back pain. Consider getting the heating pads that adhere to your body to help with inflammation. You can remove or reposition them at any time.
Stretch it out. Take some time to walk around and stretch your legs and arms once every hour. Getting up to walk around and stretch can do wonders when you’re trying to avoid a flare-up of your chronic pain on a cross-country flight. That’s because stretching increases blood flow, elongates muscles to promote flexibility and can keep your back and leg muscles limber, all of which can help prevent your chronic back pain from turning your flight into a nightmare.
Make sure you pack smart. Though not having to wait in the baggage claim line may seem like a good idea before you are trucking your luggage from one end of the airport to the other, carrying around heavy bags will do more damage than good to your back. Make sure any luggage you have to carry for a prolonged amount of time is a manageable weight, or on wheels.
Wear the right shoes. Traveling is not high fashion, and the runways at the airport are for planes — not heels. Choose shoes that provide good arch support and comfort this season, and your back will thank you.
Just rest. If your baggage allows, bring along a pillow for extra neck support while you dream away your stress.

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-The Evidence Based Chiropractor has assisted hundreds of chiropractors around the globe build interdisciplinary referral relationships.

Have you viewed our FREE Guides?  Download The MD Meeting and the 5 Secrets to MD Referrals today

Impact, Thought, Connection- Improving Your Chiropractic Message

Patients perceived “satisfaction” begins as soon as they start interacting with your office. From the moment they enter your door, their experience will shape their perception. This is why its imperative to not underestimate your office aesthetic. Small changes to your office decor can make HUGE changes in your (subconscious) patient communication. By reading this, you should have a great idea of where to start to improve your in-office communication and you will learn about impact/thought/connection. 

If you are not a graphic designer or interior decorator (and I will assume you are not) then your problem may start right there.

Are You?

1) a Graphic Designer

2) a Interior Decorator

3) a CHIROPRACTOR

As a chiropractor, you are consistently trying to build trust, rapport, and build a patient-centric practice by communicating both in your office and out of your office. Today we are going to focus on in-office communication. More specifically…. your walls. 

If you are like most chiropractors, then either you or your spouse decorated your office. With visions of a professional healing space that would leave Dr. Gupta jealous, you start piecing together an office. Very quickly you see the same old chiropractic art for sale. As a matter of fact, I believe if you look close enough, you can see some of these posters in the background of photos with B.J himself adjusting. 

You are hoping to get your chiropractic message across to your patients. You would like build trust and rapport. Then you need to package it in a powerful and modern way. 

We both know that people will PUSH back again new ideas. They may have been skeptical coming into your office to begin with. They may have had a family member or friend dissuade them from coming in. With this in mind you can see how important it is to position your office IMMEDIATELY after they walk into the door.

When they look up from the reception area are they viewing information which is confusing and doesn’t make sense based on their current state of knowledge?  

OR

Are they looking up at timeless messages of health and wellness from undisputed leaders of healthcare as we know it? 

By using classic and timeless messages in combination with a elegant and modern aesthetic you will be significantly impacting the patients’ view and perception of your office; and therefore your care. 

To make a positive impact immediately with your patients through visual media you will want to accomplish 3 primary tasks-

1) Impact

2) Thought

3) Connection

Research has proven that we have a “gut reaction” to stimulus within .10 second. This often leads to our longterm thoughts on the subject. So, first you need to make an IMPACT. This can (and should) be done with elegance and grace. The design of your art will determine this. Take a look around your office- is the impact your making a positive one based on the visual media?

Second is THOUGHT. After the impact is made, the patient will read and think about the content. If the content is new or appears on the surface to not be inline with their beliefs then you will never make it to step 3!  However, if your messages are timeless and classic, then the reaction is very predicable. They will think about the content, internally agree with the content and then proceed immediately to step 3.

CONNECTION- Connection is when you have made an impact and stimulated a thought that leads to a feeling of “I belong here” or “I feel comfortable here”. This is absolutely essential when building trust and rapport. Starbucks thrived on this concept, they called it the “third place”. 

I am sure it is now crystal clear to you how important the choices of art in your office truly are. For the docs like you, who have read this article, and care about how they position their office to their new patients, I am offering a 10% discount on any of our Chiropractic Prints. Simply use the coupon code “chiropractor” at checkout. 

Make these small changes and make a HUGE difference is the positioning of your practice. To start making these changes today simply click here. 

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-The Evidence Based Chiropractor has assisted hundreds of chiropractors around the globe build interdisciplinary referral relationships.

Have you viewed our FREE Guides?  Download The MD Meeting and the 5 Secrets to MD Referrals today.