Non Surgical Treatment for Disc Herniations

Edave [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L4-l5-disc-herniation.png

Do you suffer from a disc herniation?  Disc herniations are spinal injuries where the jelly center of the spinal disc ruptures out the back of the disc and puts pressure on the nerves.  Disc bulges are slightly different in that the jelly center of the disc has not fully broken through the disc to the point of herniation.  Disc bulges can also be painful.

Chiropractors can treat disc herniations very successfully.  We use a combination of therapies to help the disc to heal.  In our office we use non-surgical spinal decompression and a technique called flexion/distraction. These traction therapies help to pull a herniation back into the disc taking pressure off the nerve and thus reduces pain.  We have pre and post MRI's from patients we have seen in our office proving we can indeed improve herniated discs.  Disc herniations can weaken the spine. We spend significant time strengthening the spine so injured patients can return to daily activities with as little limitation as possible.  Each visit we adjust the patient's spine to increase as much function as we can.  Another great therapy is a class 4 laser that reduces inflammation and accelerates healing of the spine. The combination of these therapies has been proven extremely effective.

Research studies also support out approach. One such study included participants who had a disc herniation combined with pain radiating down their leg and suffered on average for 5 years.  These patients received chiropractic care combined with spinal strengthening similar to what we do in our office.  At the end of their treatment 90% of those in the study had an average of 77%  improvement in symptoms.  A follow up over a year later 80% of the patients rated their improvement by 80%.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2009 (Nov);   32 (9):   723–733

If you or someone you know is suffering from a disc herniation and would like to avoid surgery.  Please call our office.  We would be happy to provide a free consultation and tour of our facility.

We are also offering new patients their first treatment treatment for only $59.

Give us a call at 801-798-2515
 
*Some restrictions apply with government sponsored insurances like medicare and medicaid

Written by Steven Davis, D.C., chiropractic physician

Whiplash, Headaches and Headaches from a Car Wreck

Even a minor automobile accident can have major effects on your health. When one automobile is struck by another, thousands of pounds of force are exerted on the neck and spine. Injuries can result to the ligaments, muscles, joints, and disks of the neck and spine. Even at speeds of only 10 miles per hour injuries can be sustained.

Injuries from auto accidents can take time to appear. Many clinical, automotive, and medical studies report frequent delays in patients having initial onset of some amount of stiffness, soreness, or pain after being in a collision, anywhere up to 1-2 weeks. These frequent delays in the onset of post-traumatic pain also account for many injuries not being reported to the police. One study done by Quintner even indicated that 35% of patients had an onset of pain three months after the initial crash.

Whiplash and whiplash associated disorders represent a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden force on the neck. Symptoms of whiplash are often pain and aching in the neck, back and shoulders, tingling and numbness in the arm and hand and headaches.

Headaches are the second most common symptom following a motor vehicle crash. One study found that 80% of mild head injury cases had chronic daily headaches for 5-7 days a week for six months. Migraines can also result in car injury cases. Luckily, our office can address all of these issues and more.

By using the latest in chiropractic spinal rehabilitation technology, instrument assisted adjusting and MedX spinal therapy machines and massage therapy, our office is able to not only give relief care but also offer strengthening and conditioning exercises to help reduce the probability of pain recurrence. If you’ve been in a car accident, you know the stress and pain isn’t worth the hassle. Let our experienced staff help you gain back mobility and range of motion and a pain-free lifestyle. 

Luckily, auto insurers also recognize the need for chiropractic care after such an incident. Our treatments are generally covered in full by automobile insurance policies, whether you’re the driver, passenger or pedestrian regardless of who is at fault. Call our office today to schedule an appointment for any symptoms you may be experiencing as result of a car accident no matter how recent or long ago the crash was.

Headaches, Migraines and Neck Pain

Most people quietly suffer with headaches, migraines and even neck pain when they don’t have to. Around 12 million people daily fight the pain of a headache or migraine. Something as simple as taking an Aspirin can sometimes alleviate the pain but it doesn’t fix the root of the problem.

In many recent studies, chiropractic care has been the top remedy in treating these ailments.  A recent study at Duke University demonstrated that headache patients who received chiropractic care still had sustained relief four weeks after treatment in contrast to patients receiving medication who had no such benefit.

Neck pain is another huge complaint and can sometimes lead to headaches and migraines. The good news is that too can be addressed through chiropractic care.

The neck is incredibly engineered and it can lose its natural function through car accidents, chronic poor posture and uncorrected vertebral misalignment.   This loss of function can lead to neck pain, headaches and migraines.

With over 50 million people experiencing headaches or migraines on a regular basis chiropractic care has become more necessary than ever. If you or anyone you know experiences this kind of pain, know that we can help!

Article written by Steven Davis, D.C., chiropractic physician.

Car Wreck

Auto collisions are one of the more common things we see in our office.  Car wrecks can cause significant damage to your body.  Often times it is the low speed collisions that get overlooked as a very real cause of pain.  When a car weighing 3500 lbs hits you, even at 5 or 10 miles an hour, it is going to hurt you. 

Rear end collisions not only cause whiplash from your neck whipping forward and back but because of compression forces caused by the straightening of your spinal curves is a common cause of spinal disc herniations.  

It is common place for a new patient to tell us their neck or back pain started after a auto accident that occurred many years prior to coming to our office.  Most of them didn't seek out or did receive proper car following the accident.  This is a huge mistake because auto insurance usually will pay 100% of your medical bills.  These individuals waited too long and now have to pay out of pocket.

If you have been in a wreck here are the things you should do to reduce your risk of long term pain and suffering.

1. Seek profession help from someone trained in managing a car wreck. There are many things that need to be done when you get in a auto collision. You will need a team of people to help you get through. You will need expert medical help, a good insurance person and a lawyer to keep the insurance company off your back.

2. You will need a chiropractor who does much more that just adjusts your spine. It is extremely important that stretching and strengthening exercises are part of your treatment. Significant muscle damage occurs and needs to be rehabilitated for long term relief. Massage therapy and physical therapy are also often times needed to get maximum improvement. Your chiropractor should be able to manage your case by helping you to see the right medical providers, imaging center, specialists etc.

3. You will need a good auto body repair shop what will fix your car right and work with your insurance.

4. Patience is needed. Many car accidents require time to heal and receive the proper treatment. You need to make time now for your self in order to prevent as many long lasting ill effect from the collision.

 At Advanced Spinal Care we provide the services you need to get feeling better from your car accident.  If you have been in a car wreck call us now so we can help you get on the path to feeling better.  Call us at 801-798-2515

Written by Steven Davis, D.C. Chiropractic Physician.

Looking to save money on health care costs? Consider using a chiropractor as your primary care physician

Have you ever considered using a chiropractor for anything other than a headache, sore back or a disc herniation?  There have been a number of studies showing that using a chiropractor as your primary care physician can save you a significant amount of money.  With today's high deductible plans most health care is now not paid for by insurance companies but rather by the patient.

Chiropractors are trained in the diagnosis of health problems by using blood work, MRI’s, CT and other diagnostic tools. Because of this training many people are using an alternative and more natural approach to health care by choosing chiropractors as their primary care family doctor.

One study of clinical and cost outcomes on 21,743 people over a 4-year period demonstrated giant decreases in health care costs. These cost reductions included:
43.2% outpatient surgeries and procedures
43.0% in hospital admissions
58.4% hospital days
51.8% pharmaceutical cost reductions
All compared with normative conventional medicine for the same HMO insurance product in the same geography over the same time frame.

This study was then confirmed a few years later on 70,274 people  over a 7-year period and confirmed even more reductions in the cost of health care. The findings included these cost reductions:
62.0% outpatient surgeries and procedures
60.2% in-hospital admissions
59.0% hospital days
85% pharmaceutical costs
When compared with conventional medicine for the same health maintenance organization product in the same geography and time frame.

If you are looking to save money on health care and get excellent results with a more natural approach give us a call, we would love to speak with you and help you find answers to your particular health condition.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2004 Jun;27(5):336-47.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2007 May;30(4):263-9.

Car Wrecks and Disc Herniations

When we think about car wrecks we generally think about whiplash.  However, disc herniations are common with car wrecks.

Spinal disc anatomy is such that a jelly center exists in each disc.  With enough force, this jelly center will be blown out the back of the disc resulting in a spinal disc herniation.  When the jelly center is herniated outside the disc it will cause massive inflammation and compression on the spinal nerves causing shooting, radiation pains that go down you leg or arm. 

The mechanism for a disc injury is interesting.  When in a rear end collision, you are compressed against your seat.  This compression straightens the normal curves in your spine resulting in a lengthening  of the spine. This extremely rapid lengthening puts massive compression forces on the spinal disc and can result in a disc herniation.  

Some chiropractors treat disc herniations very successfully.  It requires much more than just getting an adjustment.  We use a combination of therapies to help the disc to heal. Our office uses special tables that do spinal decompression or flexion/distraction which causes pumping and traction forces on the spine.  These forces can pull the herniation back into the disc so the disc can then heal.   It is impossible for a disc to heal with the jelly center (nucleus pulpulsus) in the way.  We have pre and post MRI's from patients we have seen in our office demonstrating we can indeed heal a disc.  

A key aspect to our care is the spinal strengthening portion.  We spend significant time strengthening the spine and core so injured patients can return to daily activities with as little limitation as possible.  Each visit we adjust the patient's spine to increase as much function as possible.  The combination of these therapies have proven to be very effective.  If your core is not strengthened the benefits will be limited, however, with a strong core, the benefits can be long lasting.  My wife suffered from a disc herniation for 4 years until she met me.  I took her to a chiropractor that did proper rehabilitation procedures  (obviously before I had gone to chiropractic school) and now, 12 years later, she is still able to enjoy life with minimal to no discomfort. Not something a low back surgery patient can often say.

There is a great study that took patients who had suffered on average for 5 years with a disc herniation with pain radiating down their leg.  These patients received chiropractic care combined with spinal strengthening similar to what we do in our office.  At the end of their treatment 90% of those in the study had an average of 77%  improvement in symptoms.  A follow up over a year later 80% of the patients rated their improvement by 80%.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2009 (Nov);   32 (9):   723–733

If you or someone you know is suffering from a car wreck or a disc herniation that would like to avoid surgery.  Please have them call our office.  We would be happy to provide a risk free consultation and tour of our facility. 801-798-2515

Best Exercises For The Spine

Looking for a way to spend time getting outside, take full advantage of summer, and reap all of the benefits of physical exercise but are too worried that your back pain will keep you from doing it? Look no further! This week, we're going over some of the best exercises and outdoor activities you can do to not only keep your back safe, but strengthen your back muscles at the same time. 

YOGA
Yoga is a great way to get your body back into the groove of active and dynamic movements. Take a class, search on youtube, or whatever you need to just start and give it a try! No need to do it every day or for 5 hours at a time (if that's your thing, however, go for it! but be safe.). 

SWIMMING
Swimming is like submerging your spine in a 360 degree pillow. Water takes the gravity and force not only off of your joints, but more importantly off of your spine. Do some jogging in place, laps, or just play around for a healthy amount of time. Swimming and being in water is a great way to stay cool and active this summer all while keep your spine happy and healthy. 

If you have more questions about what exercises are good for your spine, give us a call anytime! (801)-823-3112 You can also check out our Youtube and Facebook pages for more fun facts!

How To Pick Up A Child Without Injuring Yourself

You've been here before, the cliche saying of, "Lift with your knees never your back" gets old. BUT ITS TRUE! People time and time again do not apply this simple practice and without fail they injure themselves. But-the biggest culprit isn't that they lifted a couch by themselves, or they tried to move the refrigerator, it's more common that they bent down to pick up something they've done a million times (like a baby), and this "one time" they really "messed up my back". 

Unfortunately-in these scenarios time is always against you. Because chances are, you've really been picking EVERYTHING up the wrong way, and you've been putting your weak back muscles on overdrive, and have been lucking out with no injuries. If you always pick things up how you're supposed to, and you don't try to lift more than you can obviously handle (like a pallet of river rocks) you will be fine; and your back will thank you. 

Dr. Brent Wall walks us through a friendly reminder on how to properly pick up an infant or child in the video below:  

Foods for Spinal Health

This week we are focusing on 3 main things you can make sure you’re getting in your diet to keep a healthy spine! The best part is: this isn’t exclusive to spinal health, keeping these 3 main things apart of your lifestyle will help you to maintain a much healthier lifestyle all around. They’re also great natural medicine tips, and you’re probably no stranger to them.

1. Hydration: water is your spine’s friend! Hydration is extremely important for spinal health, because water plays a large role in maintaining healthy fluid around our spinal discs, it is important to make sure you stay properly hydrated so that your spine is too.

2. Vitamins & Minerals: Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin D3 are all crucial players for proper bone health. If you don’t want to take pills for these vitamins and minerals don’t worry! Calcium can be found in most dairy products like milk, dark leafy greens like kale, and other foods like almonds and oranges. Magnesium can be found in beans, yogurt, avocados, and even some dark chocolate! Vitamin D3 helps your body absorb Calcium, and can be found in milk, fatty fish, egg yolks, and juices.

3. Protein: Did you know most Americans are actually protein deficient? A great key to getting enough protein in your diet is not eating chicken for every meal-but rather spreading out the different types of protein you intake throughout the day. Nuts, eggs, and high fiber foods are all great additions to get your necessary protein. Proteins play a vital role in maintaining and repairing bones and their structure.

Not only will these tips help your spine maintain its health, but they will also help you maintain other aspects of your physical well being. Our team has an abundance of experience helping people reach their nutritional and dietary goals! If you think you are someone that would benefit from getting more information, or just want to learn more, give us a call and we would be happy to sit down and help get you to where you want to be!

Wake Up With Limited Mobility

If your back and neck doesn’t have the ability to bounce back like it could when you were a teenager, then there’s good news! You’re not alone. Most of us feel the strenuous work we’ve done in our backs and necks when we wake up the next day.

However, if it’s ever gone a step farther than that and you’ve woken up and not been able to move, or turn, or bend over, then keep reading. This week we are focusing on what to do if you wake up with limited mobility in your back and neck:

1. Range of Motion

   Make sure you are able to find what mobility you do have, and keep that range of motion active. Don’t over do it, but make sure you continue to move in order to not lose what range of motion you have left.

2. Hot Shower

   Hot water can also help prevent the rest of your neck or back from tightening up. This should be done in conjunction with a continual range of motion. Remember this is not guaranteed to give you back your full range of motion, rather this will help you from losing more from the rest of your back or neck tightening up.

3. Mattress and Pillow Evaluation

   Especially if the problem is persistent, you may need to self evaluate the age and quality of your mattress and pillow. Many times an old pillow and bad mattress can be a serious offender of back and neck problems-especially if they happen in the morning.

Please give us a call or see a chiropractor near you if this does happen to you and you’re not able to regain mobility! This is a serious injury and it needs to be addressed by a professional as soon as possible. Take care of your body, and it will thank you in the long run!

Chiropractic and Marathon Running

It’s that time of year again folks: marathon season. And as great as running is for your overall health, running a marathon can take a serious toll on your body! From tiny tears in muscles, to the buildup of lactic acid, to stage one kidney injury, there are many painful side effects of running a marathon. However, with the right preparation and aftercare, you can significantly reduce the severity and longevity of these side effects.

One of the best ways to help your body get through a marathon and heal afterwards is chiropractic care. Misalignment of the spine causes unnecessary tension on parts of the body that are key in long distance running such as the hips, knees, and lower back. A chiropractor can assess and fix misalignment, helping you avoid many of the common injuries that come with running including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, IT Band Syndrome, and patella tracking problems. When regular chiropractic evaluations are added to normal preparations like stretching and warming up, the chances of injury can be reduced.

In addition to seeking chiropractic care before a big race, seeing a chiropractor afterwards can help your body heal much faster. Running 26.2 miles straight can cause significant misalignment, which your chiropractor can help. Oftentimes, you can also find a chiropractor who specializes in sports therapy.

Whether you are getting ready for marathon season or looking for better ways to recover from serious physical exertion, call today and have one of our top-rated chiropractors help you reach peak physical performance!

Have a Headache? Try These 3 Things:

Attention headache sufferers! This week we are focusing on 3 ways to spot and prevent headaches naturally. While it’s estimated that 80-90% of the population suffers at least once from a headache at some point in their lives, others suffer from headaches far more frequently than once per year.

Luckily for you-most headaches are treatable AND preventable. Below, we go through some quick, everyday tips and tricks you can do at home or work or wherever-in order to prevent headaches.

1. DRINK WATER: Did you know that most headaches are caused by dehydration? Our number one question we ask our patients when they report suffering from frequent headaches is, “How much water are you drinking each day?” On average, you can calculate how much you should be drinking by taking your body weight, dividing it by 2, and that’s the number of ounces of water. Example: if you weigh 160 lbs, then you should be drinking 80oz. of water

2. POSTURE CHECK: Another incredibly helpful tool you should take advantage of is a simple awareness and self check of your posture. Often times we sit at desks, or spend a lot of time driving, and slowly as we get fatigued or comfortable our posture worsens. One quick and effective move is what we call the “Turkey Move”. For this, you simply pull your chin to your neck, and make sure your ear is in-line with your shoulder. If you’re still unsure about what this move looks like, check out the video below, or our blog from last week!

3. POWER DOWN: That’s right, a power nap is in our recommended headache regimen. We always recommend promoting clear and mindful practices to help take care of your health. Now, don’t get too crazy. We recommend a 10-20 minute maximum nap. Just a quick reboot to restart your mind, clear your head, and relieve tension.

For a clearer picture and demo, check out the video below. You can also find more tips and tricks for your health and posture on our Youtube or Facebook page.

If you suffer from headaches everyday, this could be a sign of a more serious issue. Please feel free to give us a call or stop by our office.

These 3 Moves + Your Office Job = Healthier Spine!

If you’re like most Americans, you work at a desk or on your feet at a hectic 9am-5pm job, Monday through Friday. If you also get to the weekend and don’t structure it around taking care of your back and strengthening your spine, you are also not alone!

We understand no one really has the time to get to work, take the kids to school, make dinner, walk the dog, work out, clean the house, take grandpa to the store, call your sister, AND stop to schedule time each day to take care of your back. We get it. So this week we created a solution for you in your quest to have it all, and a pain-free back!

3 Moves you can do at your desk to decrease back pain, and be more mindful of spinal health:

1. Turkey Neck: sit up straight, and pull your chin as close as you can to your neck. You’ll feel yourself making a double-chin, which means you’re doing it right, and you’ll feel the top muscles in your neck stretch out. Continue to do this 5-10 times.

2. Airplane: sit up straight, and lift your arms out by your side no higher than shoulder length, and bend your elbows so your hands are pointing forward. From here, pinch your shoulder blades together like someone just poked you. Lastly, from this position relax your shoulders down, while still pinching that imaginary finger that’s poking you in the back. (this one is tricky! The video below shows Dr. Wall demonstrating)

3. Pelvic Lean: just like the name sounds, stand up, plant your feet, and slowly and gently lean forward from your hips. (This move is also demonstrated in the video below)

Remember! These should be done about 3x/day. If you work 8 hours, you’re already supposed to be getting up and taking a walk or getting a drink every hour anyway. Introduce these moves frequently and notice the difference in your back!

Product Review of: Theracane

You’ve probably noticed around your office space that you and your coworkers put a lot of time into purchasing products to make sitting and the pain of everyday life less noticeable. Some use special chairs, rubber cushions, foot massagers, desk hammocks, etc. We went ahead and asked our chiropractor what he thought of one popular ‘back pain relief at the office’ tool called: Theracane.

This S shaped plastic tool is extremely popular, and noted for its ease of use, and instant back-ache relief. The video below is Dr. Wall’ full review and recommendation for the product, be sure to check it out and comment if you have any questions or recommendations for more products to report and review!

Highlights:

-Great product!

-Don’t over use, no longer than 15 minutes

-Use gentle pressure, no higher than a 2 on the pain scale

-Use with deep, slow breaths while using a Theracane

How to Recover the RIGHT Way

It is estimated that 600,000 Americans have back surgery every year. A lot of back surgeries happen because people injure themselves, get a quick fix, don’t replace bad movements and posture, injure themselves again, and then continue through the cycle until they have no other options left.

If this is describing you, STOP! You have other options! If you have even started a portion of this cycle, listen up before you set yourself up for expensive and painful surgery.

We all injure ourselves, it happens. However, after you get the injury fixed, what do you do?

1.) Do you go back to everyday life, moving and grooving in the same pattens you were before you threw out your back or pinched and nerve in your neck?

OR

2.) Do you go back and figure out what movement you did to injure yourself, learn how to do the movement correctly, and then strengthen the muscles around the injured area to prevent re-injury?

If you fall into category 2, you’re doing great! If scenario #1 sounds a little more like you, we can help. Advanced Wellness Center uses a unique set of technologies to help target your pain areas, tissues, and injuries to recover the right way. We will go over your history, previous scans, test results, modalities, and much more in order to give you the best possibility for a pain-free future.

Just like if you blew out your knee you would go to a physical therapist, after a back or neck injury you need to strengthen those muscles back to normal to stay away from pain pills and off of the operating table! We help our patients learn everyday about the differences between immediate care and wellness care we offer. For more information, check out the video below about why choosing the correct care type is so crucial!

Check out our current promotions and specials for new patients by calling (801) 798 2515 today!

We put "Advanced" in Advanced Wellness Center!

At Advanced Wellness Center, we are consistently devoted to researching, finding, and implementing the latest technology into our practice. Traditional chiropractic offices only offer an adjustment table. However, our office uses a unique combination of: Medx machines, chiropractic adjustment tables, a unique hand held adjusting tool called the ProAdjuster, Disc Therapy, Massage Therapy, and a class IV MLS Laser Therapy.

Below, we go over how each of these advanced therapies help treat and prevent injury, and advance chiropractic care.

MedX Machines

These machines were uniquely developed in medical schools to help patients who have suffered from a back or neck injury. Specifically, for the rehabilitation and strengthening of damaged muscles. When an injury occurs in the back or neck, muscle regeneration and growth as ways to prevent re-injury are often times the last thing on a patient’s mind. However, it is an integral part to recovery.

Chiropractic Adjustment Tables

This is a classic, and most traditional form of technology used for chiropractic adjusting. The table moves and adjusts in the proper ways to help your spine align and adjust as the doctor works on you.

ProAdjuster

The pro adjuster is a hand-held device that pinpoints the exact problem areas unique to you. It delivers pulsating pressure to an individual disc or region of the spine. This is a popular alternative for patients that do not love the adjustment table or “snap, crackle, and pop” methods.

Disc Therapy

This therapy is a quantum leap forward in biotechnology that corrects low back conditions – specifically, herniated (“slipped”) discs, degenerative disc disease, posterior facet syndrome, spinal stenosis, and sciatica – in the vast majority of cases.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy by itself is an incredible therapy for a large variety of health concerns. When coupled with chiropractic, however, it triples the benefits for faster recovery, injury prevention, and much more. We recommend to all of our patients who receive chiropractic care to join forces with massage therapy, and let the benefits speak for themselves.

MLS Laser Therapy:

MLS Class IV laser works by healing damaged tissue and rapidly reducing inflammation.  We have seen incredible results with most any painful condition but especially for long term chronic pain, disc herniations, knee pain, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and other. Take advantage of our offer and see if it will work for you.

Massage Therapy vs. Cold & Flu Season

The benefits of massage therapy are universally known by this point. One of those benefits includes a boost to our immune system, increase in blood flow and circulation, and ultimately a better ability to fight off bugs and viruses. However, there are times when massage therapy can actually have an adverse effect on our health, and make us feel more sick. This post will help you know how to better equip yourself with massage therapy in your “Warding off Sickness” tool belt.

Sickness Stages:

• Haven’t Caught It: If you are apart of this lucky group then we have even better news: come in and get a massage! The benefits will help boost your immune system, get those good toxins flowing, and help you continue your fight in avoiding getting sick!

• Totally Sick: This is where most people get confused with massage therapy. If you are currently sick, DO NOT GET A MASSAGE. Not only do you put your therapist and other clients at risk of catching your bug, but a massage when you’re sick will actually make your symptoms worse. Remember how we mentioned massage gets your blood and toxins and all of that other good stuff inside your body flowing? If you’re sick, you’ve got sick toxins that will hang out in one area, but if you get a massage, those crummy side effects can spread to other parts of your body. Nobody wants that.

• Recovering from Sickness:  This group is another great candidate for massage therapy, because if you’ve been sick, but you’re back to work and your normal activities, massage can help make sure your recovery is seen through right to the end. It has even helped some patients recover at a faster rate.

So, as a quick recap, if you: Haven’t Caught it = Massage can help ward off!, Totally Sick = Massage will make it worse!, Recovering = Massage can help recover!

At Advanced Wellness Center we have incredible massage therapists who are always looking to help new patients reach their health goals. We can schedule you today for a 60 minute relaxation massage, or feel free to call and ask about any of our other therapies, techniques, and specials (801)-798-2515.

Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal Decompression Therapy:

This therapy has been found to be extremely effective for treating lower back pain, and as a reliable source of relief compared to surgeries like laminectomies and microdiscectomies. Spinal Decompression helps to fix injuries to the back, and create an environment for the discs in your spine to heal and promote good movements. 

What Happens with Spinal Decompression:

In this dramatized example, imagine: your back acts and moves like a slinky. When you make the classic slinky shape by putting both ends on the ground, to look like an upside down letter ‘U’, this mimics how your spine acts when it is constantly in a hunched or over arched position. The direction the slinky is bent will force the rings very close to each other. The opposite happens at the other end, the spaces between the rings becomes very wide and far apart from one another. Your spine acts just like this, but, unlike a slinky, your spine has a liquid jelly-like disc that rests in between each of these rings. Whenever these jelly discs get squished from your spine bending, it can cause a lot of pain in the back and prevent proper blood flow to the discs. Otherwise known as a disc bulge, herniated disc, chronic back pain, etc.

Spinal decompression therapy works to bend the slinky, or your spine, back the other way to cause an influx of healing and bring nutrients and relief of painful pressure to your spinal discs. Spinal decompression therapy has significantly helped those who are experiencing:

• Diagnosed Disc Herniation

• Degenerative Disc Disease

• Sciatica

• Sharp Shooting Pain Down Legs

• Spinal Kinesthenosis

We welcome and encourage anyone who is experiencing any of these events to come find relief through decompression therapy. Feel free to call or message us today! Our kind and flexible staff will schedule you and help you get scheduled onto the road to recovery!

What Functional Medicine Can Do For You

Functional medicine works, and is different from other health and dieting trends for one simple reason: uniqueness. The ultra-unique tactics behind functional medicine are what gives it much greater success for a larger variety of individuals. It focuses and is tailored to each patient’s unique needs. It does this by looking at the chemical and physiological levels in a patient’s blood work, and combining it with strict food regimens to give your body the nutrients and vitamins it needs.

Now, on paper two patients can appear almost identical. And a physician might recommend a very similar diet and exercise routine. HOWEVER, they may not have similar or even good results as compared to functional medicine. Because functional medicine looks at a patient’s health on a physiological level, it is able to tell a patient and doctor much more about a patient’s health needs, concerns, and strong areas.

Below, Dr. Davis explains how functional medicine can help in the following areas:

-Unexplained weight gain

-Hormone imbalance

-Weight fluctuation

-Hyperthyroidism

-Unsuccessful dieting

We are currently accepting new patients, and we are also offering a free consultation to determine if functional medicine is the right move for you. Please feel free to call (801)-798-2515, or email us to schedule today!

ADVANCED WELLNESS CENTER
205 N. Main Street, Spanish Fork, UT. 84660
(801) - 798 - 2515

Massage Types and Styles

While there are so many different types, styles, and techniques when it comes to massage, we are going to help you sort through all of it to know what’s best for YOU! Below, we break down the main types of massage, what they involve, to whom and how they’re beneficial.

Swedish Massage:

While this is arguably the most popular type of massage, it is unique in its focus to relax the entire body. It is also often referred to as a “Relaxation” massage. The massage therapist accomplishes this by rubbing and massaging the muscles and their blood back toward the direction of the heart. This also helps to bring higher oxygen levels into the blood, improve circulation and flexibility, and decrease muscle toxins. Anyone can benefit from a swedish massage, as it is highly customizable to each patient’s needs.

Deep Tissue Massage:

Deep Tissue Massages are quite similar to swedish massages, however, the main difference is that deep tissue focuses on greater pressure pinpointing specific areas or trigger points. Many people think that they want a deep tissue massage, when in reality they need a high pressure relaxation massage. It doesn’t come as a shock that deep tissue emphasizes force on the deepest layers of muscle tissue. It has been studied and found that deep tissue massage trigger the reduction of stress hormones, heart rate, and the boosting levels of serotonin and oxytocin.

Prenatal and Aromatherapy Massages:

Any pregnant woman is no stranger to the physical toll it takes on her body- especially the back and spine. Massage is a great way to reduce stress and promote wellness during prenatal care. It can significantly reduce joint discomfort, reduce stress on weight-bearing joints, promotes circulation and sleep, and can also relieve depression and anxiety changed by hormonal fluctuations. Timing and positioning are all extremely important when receiving a prenatal massage. Be sure to thoroughly meet with your massage therapist and inform them of how far along you are before you receive your massage.

Aromatherapy is not a type or style of massage, rather than an added feature. Aromatherapy is the addition and incorporation of essential oils to any type of massage (prenatal, deep tissue, swedish, etc.). Each therapist and office has different policies in regards to aromatherapy massages. We recommend consulting and asking policies beforehand, as some therapists rates will change depending on if you supply the oils, or if they will have to, and/or if oils are being used.

You can call today to schedule an appointment with one of our amazing massage therapists, or check out our page on massage therapy for more info!

ADVANCED WELLNESS CENTER
205 N. Main Street, Spanish Fork, UT. 84660
(801) - 798 - 2515