West Hartford Chiropractor Unveils New Site

Dr. Chris Chase a West Hartford Structural chiropractor and owner of Advanced Chiropractic has unveiled their new web site. This new site should be easier for folks to navigate, said Dr. Chris.

Here is the new link; Advanced Chiropractic.

Degenerated Disc & Neck Pain: How Does It Happen?

Degenerated (damaged) disc and degenerated (damaged) joint disease are not a result of age or heredity. Many of our patients are in their twenty and thirties with moderate to severe Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD for short) and there are older patients that have mild DDD in some parts of their spine. If DDD was age related then all of the spinal bones would degenerate at the same rate. We never see this in practice, what is most common , especially in the cervical (neck) spine is two or three joints with moderate DDD and the remaining joints are normal or have mild DDD.

Many patients ask, "How did I get this way and what can you do to help"?

Your cervical spine (neck) has a normal range, just like you have a normal range for eyesight, a normal range for blood pressure, and a normal range for body temperature. We all realize that if you are outside normal range, lets say for example for body temperature then you have a fever. When your spine is outside normal range this creates the process of degeneration of spinal bones and discs.

How does spinal bones and discs degenerate when the spine is outside normal range?

Your vertebrae (spinal bones) are easily influenced by abnormal pressure, think of your spinal bones as coral. The coral is alive and will change shape due to pressure, same as your spinal bones. Your disc is as tough as a NHL hockey puck. And, because it is filled with fluid, we all remember that fluids cannot be compressed (think hydrolic hoses for back hoes)this means the bones will adapt to the pressure and change shape (degenerate).

Now, this abnormal pressure also causes the joints not to move properly (you notice this by your reduced turning ability, by having to turn your whole body to back out of a parking space). Also your muscles become tense, tight and spasm to protect your spine from further going outside normal range. As well as the discs start to desiccate (dry up). You see your cervical (neck) discs need proper motion for proper health height.

Lose proper structure you lose proper motion. Bones degenerate, discs dry up, ligaments change shape and muscles tighten. This cause Secondary Conditions of : neck pain, upper back pain, numbness and tingling, weakness, etc.

What can you do?

Traditionally, the goal is to get you out of pain and get you moving better, this is done by...

1. Physical therapy
2. Massage
3. Pain medication
4. Traditional Chiropractic
5. Surgery
6. Pain management

I have no doubt that the above methods have helped. What those methods do not address is a primary structural condition called A. H. S. or Anterior Head Syndrome.

AHS, has five objective indicators that no one that really understands anatomy could disagree, be it a Neurosurgeon or a Structural Corrective Chiropractor.

The indicators are:

1. Head anterior/forward more than 30mm or 1 inch from the shoulders
2. Degenerative Disc Disease (damaged Disc)
3. Nerve Impingement Syndrome (NIS)
4. Muscular spasm/tension
5. Degenerative Joint Disease (damaged spinal bones)

As a Structural Corrective Chiropractor which is different than Traditional Chiropractic, our goal is to enhance the structure of your spine back into the normal range. Once the structure of your spine has improved more towards normal this decreases the harsh pressures on your spinal bones and discs, which then helps relieve or improve your Secondary conditions of pain, headaches, numbness and tingling. 

We do this with gentle specific spinal corrections which is not manipulation, structural rehabilitation and complementary recommendations to enhance what we do in the office and so that you do not become dependent on our services. We teach you how to protect what we've corrected.

What we don't do....

We do not have you under care forever.
We do not claim to cure everything, we are only focused on correcting your spinal structure.
We do not perform aggressive spinal manipulations.
We do not accept everyone, some folks we can not help.

The best type of patient is someone who has been to everyone else and is still having issues or someone who has had problems treated yet they still pop up from time to time and are becoming more frequent affecting your day to day activities. If this is you, then our office should be sought out for at least a conversation about your condition. 

We are excellent at tough cases.

For additional information call: 860.523.5465

ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC of West Hartford Dr. Chris Chase - Certified Structural Correction Chiropractor, Dr. Chris is the only Structural Chiropractor in West Hartford, and surrounding communities.  ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC is a company that offers Structural Correction services for women, children and men - which is different from traditional chiropractors (not better BUT significantly different). 

Advanced Chiropractic of West Hartford Donates To...

Advance Chiropractic is donating $90 to Unite For Light, this is a group that is bringing lights to the athletic fields of Conard and Hall High School, here in West Hartford.

The event is a "tailgate" party and will be an excellent time with guest host Colin Cowherd of ESPN

Here is the link: www.uniteforlight.com

West Hartford Chiropractor Answers Patient Question: I am getting better, but why?

Patient Question: I am getting better, but why?

Dr. Chris: I ask the patient for their hand and move a finger up and down. Then I have them close their eyes and tell me which way I moved it.

They say either up or down, and I ask them how they knew. They usually say, "I felt "it.

And, I then explain what that "felt it" means is that every joint and muscle in the body is hardwired to the brain. It is essential for the brain to constantly keep track of where we are in space.

As you know, the brain is an electrical system, but we don't have batteries or a charger. The brain is powered up by sensation.

The majority of brain input comes from joints and muscles spindles in the spine (special muscle nerves) as well as the vestibular or balance system.

If there is a problem with the slight movement of any of the vertebrae(spinal bone), you probably wouldn't notice it, but over time, it reduces the input (quality information) to the brain.

That is called subluxation or Structural Shift. Couple that with trauma, toxicity, inactivity, prolonged sitting, etc. and you get chronic health issues.

We do corrections to stimulate the spine and ultimately increase the function of the brain. This in turn helps your body heal your Secondary Conditions. 




For additional information call: 860.523.5465

ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC of West Hartford Dr. Chris Chase - Certified Structural Correction Chiropractor, Dr. Chris is the only Structural Chiropractor in West Hartford, and surrounding communities.  ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC is a company that offers Structural Correction services for women, children and men - which is different from traditional chiropractors (not better BUT significantly different). 

West Hartford Chiropractor Donates To The Rise Up Group

This is a group that is doing good things for young people in the community and Advanced Chiropractic is happy to donate a TempurPedic Pillow as a door prize for their up coming event, here is the link: http://www.theriseupgroup.org/
What is the Rise Up Group?
RiseUP was founded in 2012 by a group of recent UConn graduates who realized that there is a lack of support given to our youth in urban communities.

RiseUP's Mission:

To empower our youth to become the catalysts to UPLIFT and INSPIRE urban communities

RiseUP's Vision:

Is focused on education and fostering a sense of social entrepreneurship that transcends school walls by embedding ourselves within local neighborhoods. We pair every Scholar with a Personal Champion and utilize our structured network of passionate individuals to provide the framework, confidence and support needed to overcome socioeconomic and cultural barriers.

RiseUP’s Goal:

To provide our Scholars with the necessary resources needed to achieve their maximum level of academic excellence, personal growth, and professional prosperity. RiseUP’s “pay it forward” philosophy will drive social equality in our partner schools and communities.

www.theriseupgroup.org
matt.conway@theriseupgroup.org
https://www.facebook.com/RiseUpldp


For additional information call: 860.523.5465

ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC of West Hartford Dr. Chris Chase - Certified Structural Correction Chiropractor, Dr. Chris is the only Structural Chiropractor in West Hartford, and surrounding communities.  ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC is a company that offers Structural Correction services for women, children and men - which is different from traditional chiropractors (not better BUT significantly different). 

Degenerative Disc Disease: West Hartford Doctor Explains One Likey Cause

Many folks have been told they have degenerative disc and/or degenerative joint disease and they didn't feel it happening, why?

This is what I explain to our patients that come in for care and many have been to other healthcare providers (even conventional chiropractors) and never knew exactly how this happened (disc degeneration) and what can be done.

The following is a typical exchange I have with folks in our office...

Dr. Chris:  Mrs. Smith, I'm sure you've seen a spine before, but why don't we take a second and review a little bit of anatomy before we get into exactly what we do here at Advanced Chiropractic.

The spine is made up of 24 segments called vertebrae, they are divided into three main sections; cervical (neck), thoracic (mid back), and lumbar (low back). Each region has a normal curve and as you can see the verebrae are smaller at the neck and gradually become larger towards the low back.

Does it make sense that, without proper alignment, the spine is unlikely to function correctly?

To use an analogy, what would you expect from a house that has undergone a structural shift in the foundation or inner framework? Would you expect there to be problems with the walls - perhaps a few cracks?

Would you expect to be a lot of creaking - perhaps due to floorboard issues?

Would you expect there to be problems even as minute as a window being able to open smoothly?

So as you can see, when the underlying structure is affected, the end result is a series of secondary issues, such as degenerative disc and joint disease.

Does all of that make sense?

Mrs. Smith: Yes, thank you for explaining this no one has explained just how degeneration happens.

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What makes our care unique is our focus on Structural Correction of your spine back into the normal range, which we engage Plastic Deformation. Plastic Deformation, has caused the structures that support normal alignment to warp.

Commonly, health care professions use different medications, therapy(massage, conventional chiropractic, PT) or even surgery to address the damage of the disc and I'm sure these have helped many. None of these methods have the goal of structural correction and if a structural condition is the cause, then these methods may need some assistance.

Our Specific Spinal Correction using our S.C.I assists us in engaging Plastic Deformation to be used in your favor - instead of working against you. In addition to the plastic deformation our Specific Spinal Corrections also give vital input into your nervous system (it's not that complicated).

Think of a thermostat in your house, you set the heat to 73 degrees and the heater goes on until 73 degrees is reached, this is what we all know as a normal feedback loop. This is what your nervous system regulates - you to your external environment and you to your internal environment.

Without the Specific Spinal Correction, you lose the vital input into your nervous system, this is what we do very well and are the only Structural Chiropractor in West Hartford and Central Connecticut. Meaning, you can not get what we have to offer anywhere else, even if some state they "correct" posture - in fact every Mom corrects posture when they say; " Stand up straight". 

Structure is not the same as posture- Proof is in black and white, meaning the structural corrective x-ray of before and after our care, which no one else does. Not saying we are better, and we are excellent at correcting abnormal structure of the spine. 

You see, degeneration of the disc or joint is Secondary to the primary Condition or abnormal structural shift of the spine, this is the critical factor in your game plan of recovery of function, without the endless need of medications, end less physical therapy, being told to "live with it" and repeat surgeries.

Your spine needs an expert who has devoted his whole professional career to one aspect, that is structural correction. If you have been everywhere, even to conventional chiropractors and are frustrated, then seek out a consultation which is a conversation not a commitment with our office.

Have a Great day!

For additional information call: 860.523.5465

ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC of West Hartford Dr. Chris Chase - Certified Structural Correction Chiropractor, Dr. Chris is the only Structural Chiropractor in West Hartford, and surrounding communities.  ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC is a company that offers Structural Correction services for women, children and men - which is different from traditional chiropractors (not better BUT significantly different). 

Degenerated Disc, Bulging Disc & Herniated Disc: West Hartford Doctor Explains Little Known Approach

Most folks go to their family doctor for aches and pains, which is the normal routine.
 
The family doctor is usually compassionate and caring and wants to help, so he or she will usually prescribe a pain killer and or muscle relaxer. If there is a neurological component to your pain (sharp, traveling pain - radiating, weakness in muscles) then they usually refer out for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

The MRI will usually reveal secondary conditions, such as damaged discs and irritation of spinal nerves - this is very common scenario. Next will be a referral to a physical therapist, in which they will provide exercises, stretches, electric stim, ultrasound and even manipulations or nerve mobilizations. If this does not work out then a trip to the neurosurgeon for a surgery consult.

Most neurosurgeons wait to perform surgery, they know how dramatic and usually irreversible surgery can be - especially around your nervous system, so they want you to do everything else first. And recently, scientific studies are saying structural alignment is critical for a positive outcome of surgery. Which is prudent in my opinion.

How you look at things determines your actions. If you think the problem is a bad disc then you do everything to correct the bad disc.

We take the perspective of what caused the bad disc in the first place? Many will then think car accident, work related,age, genetics, and falls, etc.

This would be a mistake. Here is why.

Your spine has a normal range, no different than a normal range  for blood pressure, a normal range for weight or even a normal range for body temperature. When your spine is outside normal range this CAUSES spinal degeneration.

What caused the abnormal position of your spine? What I mentioned above; the car accidents, falls, repetitive work related, AND this is not caused by age or genetics (which is a myth).

Most common solutions that I've mentioned above do not address correction of the spine back into the normal range. Not that this is wrong - just a different perspective. Like I said, most do the above and if those approaches do not work out then I will suggest a complementary solution that you can add to anything you are currently doing to make it work better.

Structural Correction, what is the focus?

Structural Correction is a branch of Chiropractic that focus on enhancing your spine back into the normal range or at least get your spine as near normal as possible. This focus is designed to optimize your spine to take pressure off your discs, which will alleviate  the irritation to your nerves and improve the function of your spine, including disc health.

Here is a recent study...

In a 52-week study of patients with neck pain, Structural Correction (SMT) resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or general practitioner care (counseling, education, and medication). Costs of the manual therapy were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care. British Medical Journal, April 2003

And another study...

http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2013.4.SPINE12838
" Sagittal (side view) alignment of the cervical spine may play a substantial role in the development of cervical myelopathy(muscle tension, spasm, weakness) as cervical deformity can lead to spinal cord compression and cord tension."

Folks, these are medical researchers saying that an abnormal spine causes degeneration, we focus on correcting what they have researched without surgery, with out medication and without you having to believe anything. We back up our focus with research from the most prestigious Scientific Journals.

We look for Anterior Head Syndrome or AHS (seen in the picture above) for short, there are five distinct indicators that tell us for sure if you have AHS, they are: 

1. Head has shifted anterior (forward) more than 30mm or 1 inch from your shoulders. 
2.  Degenerated vertebrae
3. Nerve Impingement Syndrome
4. Muscular spasm/tension
5. Degenerated disc
   
   Now, our solution does not ask you to "believe" in chiropractic, or ask you to come in "forever" and we do not use any form of aggressive spinal manipulation, we us gentle specific spinal corrections enhanced by structural corrective remodeling and complementary requirements.
   
   We do place you on a customized initial phase of care and expect you to follow our recommendations, just like any good doctor would advise. We use objective scientific indicators to establish the severity of  your condition  and to track your improvement. We use structural corrective x-rays (most PT's and Conventional Chiropractors don't even look at these scientific test anymore - we find the information obtained is critical to outstanding patient care) really, you would not buy a house with out looking inside first - this is how I feel about working on your inner-frame work, I need to see your spine first.
   
   Have a Great Day

 For additional information call: 860.523.5465



ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC of West Hartford Dr. Chris Chase - Certified Structural Correction Chiropractor, Dr. Chris is the only Structural Chiropractor in West Hartford, and surrounding communities.  ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC is a company that offers Structural Correction services for women, children and men - which is different from traditional chiropractors (not better BUT significantly different).