Chiro Familial

Thank you!

2011-07-13T14:40:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

So summer is really busy with the family and outside activities. I came in today on wednesday for a few hours in the afternoon. I had a new patient on my schedule. One very important question is to ask how did the patient find me. I do it for stats at the end of the year to help me with my marketing and assess what works and what does not work. Is it an MD referring? friends? yellow pages ? internet?. I have to be honest and say that obviously there is nothing more exciting for me when I ask that question to get the answer "from a patient". Today my new patient was a referral from a patient. WOW that makes me feel good!!!

I am not sure if you realize that this is the biggest gift you can give to your chiropractor. This is a sign of confidence, satisfaction in your care and trust. I feel very honoured that you trust me in the care of your friends or family.

This is one thing we do not say very often but today I wanted to take the time and say

THANK YOU to all my patients for your referrals. I truly appreciate it. So when you send somebody remember that this is the most precious gift you can give to me.

Have a great week!! Remember to talk about chiropractic to your friends and family and I will be glad to help them out.

Thanks again

Valerie

One more reason why I love being a chiropractor!

2011-06-29T14:26:00.002-04:00

Hi everybody!

So obviously there are many reasons why I love being a chiropractor! Love helping people, meeting patients, the freedom of being my own boss, could go on and on. Yesterday, I had one of these great moments in my practice and I wanted to share it with you.

In my practice, I treat a lot of children and babies as you must know but I also get some referrals from an MD for work related injuries. These cases are quite challenging, as they are complex most of the time. The patients usually have tried many therapies before they give chiropractic a try.

A few weeks ago, I had a case of a gentlemen who came in suffering of lower back pain, hip pain and upper back pain. He had been off work for a year and was actually now walking with a cane. He had so much pain from his hip and leg that he could only walk with the help of that cane. I will not go in to all the details of the exam and relevant clinical things but I can tell you that after reviewing his case, in my opinion, there were no reason why he would not respond. So we had a discussion about what I was going to do which included muscle work and adjustments. He was instructed to combine ice to all the other things he was already doing. He was so incapacitated that he was having trouble taking care of his little girl who is 11 months old.

So we started treatment last week. I did 3 visits on him last week. They were going well!! For sure, he was a bit sore but he was seeing a change so he was encouraged. When he came back this week Tuesday, I was bent changing my head rest paper when he came in to the room. When I looked up, I asked him "so how are you feeling after the week end? " He replied " LOOK NO MORE CANE" he had been walking with a cane for over 3 -4 months!! WOW !!

I was so happy!! He said he was so encouraged and happy that he had told his wife over the week end that all he wanted to do was give me a hug!! YEAH!! We exchanged a hug and continued with the treatment. He is not out of the loop yet but at least on the right way!

These moments are just so special. Chiropractic has changed his life. Originally when he came in, he was so discouraged and most probably now for the first time he was smiling and encouraged!! Wow it is a great feeling!!!

This made my day and I told all my friends!! For moments like these, I will continue to practice. It happens quite often but some are more powerful then others! I love being a chiropractor. At 14, when I said I wanted to be a chiropractor, I do not think I realized fully what it meant but now I know.

When you have passion for your work it shows ! Do something you love and you will see the days will just fly by without you noticing.

I hope you enjoyed the post and if you have great stories like that please share them with me! I would love the hear them.

Valerie

Postpartum Depression!! not to be ignored!

2011-06-09T13:28:00.006-04:00

Hi everyone

This week I had the pleasure of attending the Grande Conference of the Association of Lactation of Quebec. Going to conferences is always so stimulating and fun. You not only get to meet colleagues but you get to listen to great speakers!!

The first day monday was on postpartum depression and the new paradigm. We had the pleasure of listening to an amazing speaker, Kathleen-Kendall Tackett. I learned so much on the subject. I thought it would be interesting to share with you some of the key elements.

Post-partum depression is sometimes not always talked about because of the stigma attached to it. Many mothers go untreated just because they do not get the appropriate help and first of all diagnoses. Breastfeeding also gets blamed easily with postpartum depression. Certain cultures say that 10-20% of mothers get postpartum depression but some people think that the numbers can actually be as high as 40-50%.

The old paradigm thought that the drop in estrogen and progesterone were some of the triggers for postpartum depression. Other risk factors identified were stress, pain, lack of sleep, inflammation, psychosocial trauma and a history of depression and anxiety.

The new paradigm and the latest research identified that the inflammation is actually the main trigger in postpartum depression and depression. Inflammation underlies all the other risk factors. It was found that the more inflammation you have in your plasma, the more depressed you may be. Normally, we can manage stress but when our system balance does not work you can not handle it and you start secreting some inflammatory components. You then add all the other possible triggers and your chances of having postpartum depression becomes very high!

The pro-inflammatory cytokines rise in the last trimester of pregnancy therefore mothers are at higher risk of depression in the last trimester. Moms that are showing signs of depression during pregnancy should be treated! It was shown that depression and anxiety increase the risk of preterm birth.

Breastfeeding is known to reduce these inflammatory cytokines because it has a calming effect on mothers and reduces stress and the stress response. It is key to help moms preserve their breastfeeding during these difficult period. Depression does change the way moms interact with their baby. It was also shown that depressed breastfeeding mothers touched, stroked and looked at babies more than depressed non-breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding is therefore good for mom and baby!!!

However if mom is experiencing breastfeeding difficulties and nipple pain, they were at higher risk of getting postpartum depression (38% versus 14%). This makes sense as it increases stress and inflammation therefore more at risk! So it is key to help mothers get out of breastfeeding pain and problems as quickly as possible. When the pain is gone ( i.e. inflammation is reduced ), the mood usually returns to normal.

She talked about the various treatment options for mothers . The traditional treatments such as antidepressants are sometimes necessary for a short course to get the mothers back on track. It should be noted that there is no contraindication to nursing with most of the antidepressants prescribed. Some alternative options such as omega 3 supplementation have been shown in many studies to help relieve depression. St- John's wort is also an herb used to treat mild to moderate depression. It is important to mention to moms that there are alternatives when they decide which way to go when it comes to treating depression.

This was a quick summary but you can find a lot more information on her web sites. I am also including the abstract of her article that talks about it. If you would like the full article email me and I will forward it to you guys.

http://www.kathleenkendall-tackett.com/

http://www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com/

http://www.uppitysciencechick.com/

I hope you will pay attention to mothers around you and see if they are suffering from depression. Don't be shy to get help if you are worried!!

Valerie

International Breastfeeding Journal

Review Open Access

A new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of

inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory

treatments protect maternal mental health

Kathleen Kendall-Tackett*

Address: Family Research Laboratory, 126 Horton Social Science Center, 20 College Road, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New

Hampshire, 03824, USA

Email: Kathleen Kendall-Tackett* - kkendallt@aol.com

* Corresponding author

Abstract

Background: Research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) has revealed that depression

is associated with inflammation manifested by increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

Discussion: The old paradigm described inflammation as simply one of many risk factors for

depression. The new paradigm is based on more recent research that has indicated that physical

and psychological stressors increase inflammation. These recent studies constitute an important

shift in the depression paradigm: inflammation is not simply a risk factor; it is the risk factor that

underlies all the others. Moreover, inflammation explains why psychosocial, behavioral and physical

risk factors increase the risk of depression. This is true for depression in general and for

postpartum depression in particular. Puerperal women are especially vulnerable to these effects

because their levels of proinflammatory cytokines significantly increase during the last trimester of

pregnancy – a time when they are also at high risk for depression. Moreover, common experiences

of new motherhood, such as sleep disturbance, postpartum pain, and past or current psychological

trauma, act as stressors that cause proinflammatory cytokine levels to rise. Breastfeeding has a

protective effect on maternal mental health because it attenuates stress and modulates the

inflammatory response. However, breastfeeding difficulties, such as nipple pain, can increase the

risk of depression and must be addressed promptly.

Conclusion: PNI research suggests two goals for the prevention and treatment of postpartum

depression: reducing maternal stress and reducing inflammation. Breastfeeding and exercise reduce

maternal stress and are protective of maternal mood. In addition, most current treatments for

depression are anti-inflammatory. These include long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, cognitive therapy,

St. John's wort, and conventional antidepressants.

What is scoliosis?

2011-05-26T18:25:00.003-04:00

hi everyone

I wanted to talk today about scoliosis because I had a 15 year old patient come in with that exact problem. Scoliosis of the spine is when the spine decides to curve sideways. It can happen to about 12% of the population! It usually will happen to young girls between the ages of 10-12 and in young boys between the ages of 11-13. The ratio is usually 8 girls to 1 boy. There are usually no known causes of scoliosis which is why it is called "idiopathic". It can be linked to many health issues as the vertebras turn sideways and can cause compression of the nerves and organs.

It is very important and I encourage all of my patients to bring me their little girls and boys at this age at least to do a simple screen of scoliosis. If it is detected early it can be monitored and helped by certain therapies.

At home you can at least look at a few things to tell you if your kids may have scoliosis

1- Look for a difference in shoulder height

2- Asymmetry in 3D of the shoulder blade

3-Hips are uneven

4- When your child bends down do you see a bump on one side of the back

If you suspect something call your chiropractor. The faster it is taken care of the better the chances will be that we can prevent progression with proper intervention. There is this great new product that is being used right now. It is called SpineCor. It is a flexible brace that will help correct the spine. There are many studies now that have shown it's efficacy!

Scoliosis can have consequences during your child's life.It takes two minutes to verify so feel free to call and bring me your kids to check if they have an issue or not.

Valerie Lavigne

La scoliose

2011-05-26T17:36:00.003-04:00

LLES JEUNES COURBENT L’ÉCHINE

Votre enfant a-t-il toujours de la difficulté à se tenir droit? Ses épaules sont inégales, une bretelle de son sac à dos ne tient jamais en place ou encore vous devez toujours couper une jambe de son pantalon plus courte que l’autre? Il souffre peut- être d’une scoliose! Savez-vous que la scoliose peut affecter jusqu’à 12 % de la population de jeunes et de moins jeunes? Les chiropraticiens sont bien familiers avec cette réalité.

La scoliose

La scoliose est une déformation progressive en 3D de la colonne vertébrale. Au fur et à mesure de la croissance, elle entraîne une spirale dans la colonne. La scoliose est préjudiciable à la croissance de l’enfant, car elle rend son dos vulnérable contre la gravité. La colonne vertébrale s’affaisse de plus en plus ce qui a pour effet de nuire considérablement au système nerveux en écrasant les nerfs qui sortent entre chacune des vertèbres.

La déformation et l’écrasement de la colonne vont aussi entraîner l’affaissement de la cage thoracique et comprimer les organes vitaux tels le cœur et les poumons. Cet affaissement peut affecter la santé globale de l’enfant. La difformité spinale et l’affaissement de la cage thoracique provoquent souvent une bosse dans le dos (on se rappelle le bossu de Notre-Dame). En plus de tous les problèmes de santé occasionnés par la scoliose, les enfants atteints souffrent souvent d’un manque d’estime de soi. L’esthétique corporelle est essentielle à la construction de l’image de soi chez les adolescents.

Les causes

On ignore toujours ce qui peut causer la scoliose, bien que plusieurs chercheurs aient trouvé des pistes intéressantes. Toutefois, on remarque que cette condition a une incidence familiale très importante. Du point de vue chiropratique, l’examen attentifs de radiographies peut mettre en évidence des causes biomécaniques. En effet, une inégalité importante de la longueur des jambes, une malformation sacro-iliaque et vertébrale et un traumatisme important de la zone vertébrale L5-L3 peuvent être responsables d’une partie des causes associées à la scoliose. Informez-vous auprès de votre chiropraticien.

Le dépistage

Vous pouvez dépister une scoliose chez votre enfant en examinant attentivement sa posture. Voici quelques signes :

1- Hauteur inégale des épaules

2- Asymétrie en 3D des omoplates

3- Angles de taille asymétriques

4- Espace asymétrique entre les bras et le bassin

5- Hauteur inégale des hanches

6- Bosse dans le dos lorsque l’enfant se penche

Si vous reconnaissez un ou plusieurs de ces signes, vous avez peut-être détecté une difformité de la posture ou encore une scoliose. Il est important de consulter votre chiropraticien afin d’établir un diagnostic précis. Il pourra établir les risques de progression de l’état de la colonne de votre enfant et vous guidera à travers les étapes à suivre.

Selon la Société de la Recherche sur la Scoliose (SRS), plus le patient est jeune lors du diagnostic, plus les chances de voir la scoliose progresser sont importantes. Les jeunes filles sont plus souvent et plus sévèrement touchées que les garçons (8 filles pour 1 garçon). Plus la courbe est importante, moins la colonne vertébrale résistera à la gravité et plus elle risquera de s’effondrer1.

La période la plus à risque pour la scoliose est de 10-12 ans chez la jeune fille et de 11-13 ans chez le garçon. Si on dépiste une scoliose, il faut donc agir avant les premiers signes de puberté!Les traitements

Les causes

Plus on dépiste le problème rapidement, plus efficace l’intervention sera et meilleures seront les chances de réduire ou corriger la déviation pour ainsi éviter la chirurgie. Le port d’un corset peut être très efficace pour régler le problème. Effectivement, un corset flexible s’avère être une orthèse de choix puisqu’elle induit un mouvement correcteur dans la colonne vertébrale pour provoquer une rééducation neuromusculaire. Il n’est pas facile de trouver un corset adapté à votre enfant. Vous pouvez consulter le www.spinecorporation.com pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur le port du corset.

Finalement, si vous remarquez des déviations de la colonne chez votre enfant, n’attendez donc pas avant de consulter votre chiropraticien. N’oubliez pas, une colonne vertébrale en santé reflète un corps en santé. dépistage

1 Stephens Richards B, Bernstein RM, D’Amato CR, et Thompson GH. Standardization of Criteria for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Brace Studies: SRS Comittee on Bracing and Nonoperative Management. SPINE 2005; 30 (18);2068-2075

Ecrit par L'association des chiropraticiens du Québec

Gardening without hurting!!

2011-05-17T12:59:00.003-04:00

Hi everybody

Even though it seems like we will never see the end of this rain, the long week end is approaching and the gardening season. Here are a few tips that can help you make sure you do not overdue it.

-Stretch upper back and arms before starting

-Make sure to bend your knees, do no bend at the waist when planting.

-When you pick up something heavy bring the weight close to you and bend your knees to lift

-Take breaks

-Make sure to drink and stay hydrated

-If you feel pain stop and ice for 10 min

Hope these few tricks will help your gardening season go a little smoothly!!!

Valerie

Bébé sur le ventre- trucs et conseils

2011-05-03T13:03:00.002-04:00

Bonjour tout le monde

Aujourd'hui je tenais à discuter de l'importance de mettre bébé sur le ventre durant ces périodes d'éveil! Beaucoup de nouveaux parents hésitent à mettre le bébé sur le ventre pour plusieurs raisons. Principalement car le bébé pleure souvent et ne semble pas aimer la position. Pourtant mettre bébé sur le ventre est très important pour son développement. En mettant bébé sur le ventre, nous allons l'aider à commencer à utiliser ses muscles du haut dos et aussi aider le développement de la courbe cervicale. Le bébé commencera aussi à recruter ses muscles abdominaux. Cette position lui favorisera aussi le début de la marche à quatre pattes.

Tout le monde sait que la position recommandée pour dormir est sur le dos. Avec cette campagne, nous avons de beaucoup diminué les problèmes de mort subite du nourrisson. Le problème par contre est que maintenant les bébé semblent être constamment sur le dos : dans le banc d'auto, pour dormir, dans la balançoire etc.... Le crâne des bébés étant très souple quand une pression est constamment exercée sur les os du crâne, ils peuvent changer de forme et aplatir. Ce phénomène s'appelle la plagiocéphalie. Nous avons remarqué une grande augmentation de plagiocéphalie depuis la campagne de bébé sur le dos. Mais les avantages pour la mort subite du nourrisson sont trop importants donc maintenant nous devons éduquer les parents à mettre bébé sur le ventre durant les périodes d'éveil dès les premiers jours de vie de l'enfant!

Alors quelques trucs simples qui peuvent faire une grande différence. Vous pouvez mettre bébé sur le ventre accoté sur un coussin d'allaitement afin d'aider à relever le haut du dos un peu. Mettre aussi des jouets ou un miroir devant le bébé afin de le stimuler. Maman peut aussi aller se coucher devant afin de le garder intéressé.

Je vous invite à aller visionner un vidéo qui a été diffusé à la télévision au canal famille. Une de mes consœurs expliquent très bien les avantages et trucs.Bon visionnement!

merci Dr. Malenfant.

http://vtele.ca/videos/famille-2-0/bebe-sur-le-ventre-trucs-et-conseils_27014.php

A bientôt

Valerie

New study on maintenance care

2011-04-26T21:30:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

I hope you enjoyed Easter! Spring is in the air. Many of my patients asked me in the last few weeks what is preventive care or maintenance care. So I thought I would quickly explain the 3 different stages of care that patients got through. What is also interesting is that a study was published in 2011 stating that "SMT ( spinal manipulative therapy) is effective for the treatment of chronic non-specific LBP. To obtain long-term benefit, this study suggests maintenance spinal manipulation after the initial intensive manipulative therapy" It was published in Spine in 2011. The authors were Senna and Machaly.

When patients usually come to see us they are in a lot of pain. My first goal is to help them get out of pain as quickly as possible.

So the first phase of care is usually called the intensive phase. The goal here is to actually control your inflammation naturally. The time spent here really depends how quickly your body will control the swelling or inflammation and the muscle spasms. It usually also varies on how long the injury has been present.

The second phase is called the corrective phase. During this phase the patients usually have less pain. The goal of this phase is to improve the function, restore the vertebral motion, allow soft tissue reconstruction and to strengthen muscles and ligaments. Usually the visit frequency are reduced and also the adjustments are supported by exercises.

The third phase is called wellness or maintenance care. These visits are regular check- ups to make sure your spine is as healthy as it can be. It also allows the chiropractor to detect problems before they become more serious. Many of my patients find great benefits in getting regular chiropractic care. I like to compare this to going to the dentist to see if you have cavities or changing the oil in your car. I like to tease people that if I were to put them in cotton balls after the corrective phase and they would not move ever again then they would stay good. But that is not the case look how often you use your back when you work, play with your kids, work on your garden etc... I think you see what I mean. Now with this study coming out it actually gives us more information that people will feel better if they continues some treatments. The frequency is established between the chiropractor and the patient. It depends alot on your daily activities and how much you abuse your body!

So think about it. Do you think spinal health care could be included in your normal routine?Most of the time, it is just a question of making a point of booking the appointment.

I hope I have clarified a bit more the different stages and that you will consider maintenance care. Your spine and nervous system will be very thankful.

Valerie

World Federation Of Chiropractic 2011 Rio de janeiro

2011-04-12T14:10:00.003-04:00

Hi everybody

So I am back and really excited to share with you some of my photos of my trip to the World Federation of Chiropractic Congress in Brazil. It was quite an adventure and a super experience. I met chiropractors from all around the world. It is so motivating to meet new people and exchange with them.

So we left Montreal on friday night and flew all night ouf!! It is far...So overall the trip was great except with the first 2 days where for some reason we had made it to Rio but our luggage had decided to stay in Miami!!! Yes no luggage for 48 hours so we ended visiting Leblon shopping centre on our first day!! Once we got basics,we finally made it to Ipanema beach. It was SO crowded we could hardly could find a path to the beach. Brazil is the classic beach culture !!! Soccer, volleyball and like my husband would say beautiful women!!! So for the first part of the trip we stayed in Ipanema which I would compare to Plateau montreal it is hip and full of people, a very happening spot. We had some great dinners! The language was a bit of a challenge. I tried to mix in a bit a spanish, french and english. We had some good laughs because a few times we were not quite certain what we had ordered or what was going to show up on our plate!!!

We visited the Hippie market on sunday and Santa Theresa a well known favela. It was very nice to see and allowed me to pick up a few gifts for the kids!

We also toured around Copacabana beach. A bit more touristic but a place worth seeing. The beaches are all beautiful and well kept up.

After our first few days we moved over to another area not too far to the hotel where was the congress. There were over 800 delegates from all over the world. I attended a 12 hour course in pediatrics which is always very interesting for me to apply with the kids that I see in my practice.

I met a very nice chiropractor from Brazil her name was Dr. Francielle Borilli. In Brazil chiropractic is starting. They have two schools but they are still fighting to get legislation passed with the government.

The congress started thursday morning with a brazilian show. So I went to some very interesting talks and updates on some of the research. I went to an extremity adjustment seminar. It was fun to learn other ways to adjust different regions of the body. There were alot of representative from my school CMCC. I had the chance to meet a few classmates and also profs that I had not seen in a long time. The congress finished with the gala and then it was time to go back home.

So in summary the experience was very positive and I always come back very refreshed and excited to get back in the clinic and start treating my patients again!!!

The next congress in 2013 will be in South Africa in Durben. Will see if we make it there or not! We have two years to think about it!!!

I hope you enjoy the photos posted on my facebook page

Valerie

Chiropractic and sports

2011-03-18T14:45:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone

So I just found out that an important player for the Montreal Canadiens uses chiropractic as a part of his routine. Can you guess who? Well it is Michael Cammelleri. He was on french Tv describing how he uses chiropractic before the games and after to help him perform better. As mentioned before chiropractic helps to normalize your mechanics and remove any irritation that may affect your nervous system and muscular system. People do not know but many athletes use chiropractic as part of their regular care. Last year at the olympics, chiropractors were actually part of the medical team. What great milestone for our profession!!! So if it is good for people like Tiger Woods, Arnold Swarzenegger, Lance Armstrong, Emit Smith, Micheal Jordan, Joe Montana, Brett Butler Bruni Surin it should be good for you as well. You do not need to be an olympic level athlete to need care. We are all athletes at different levels. Just look at moms I would day they run a marathon everyday with a heavy basket to carry that for sure will have an impact on their spine. Think of that next time you are at the gym and you lift your weighs. How healthy is your spine?

So why wait start taking care of your spine and nervous system.

So think of chiropractic the next time Cammelleri scores a goal!!!!

La chiropratique et le sport: un duo gagnat!

2011-03-18T13:25:00.003-04:00

Je tenais à partager avec vous cet article que l'Association des Chiropraticiens du Québec a publié. Saviez vous que des athlètes comme Tiger Woods, Arnold Swarzenegger, Lance Armstrong, Emit Smith, Micheal Jordan, Joe Montana, Brett Butler, et bien d’autres utilisent la chiropratique régulièrement. Maintenant nous avons même un joueur des Canadiens qui a partagé avec vous les bienfaits de la chiropratique pour améliorer ses performances! N'hésitez pas à consulter nous sommes tous des athlètes à différents niveaux donc pourquoi attendre!

Vous avez été nombreux à réagir à l’émission Nos Canadiens, diffusée sur les ondes de V, le 25 février dernier. On y observait le réputé hockeyeur du CH, Micheal Cammalleri, vanter les effets bénéfiques de traitements lui étant administrés par son chiropraticien. Réflexion sur une discipline qui prend de l’expansion à une vitesse olympienne : la chiropratique sportive.

Après chaque entraînement et avant chaque match, le célèbre numéro 13 du Canadien de Montréal se fait un devoir de préparer adéquatement son corps à l’effort. Pour cela, il profite de l’expertise du Dr Micheal Prebeg, chiropraticien ontarien, qui l’observe sous toutes ses coutures et qui s’assure que son organisme soit dans un état de performance optimal : «Je cherche tout ce qui ne réagit pas normalement afin de régénérer et d’améliorer la machine. (…) Comme une voiture Ferrari en Formule 1, Mike tire beaucoup d’avantages de ces mises au point fréquentes. Toutes les voitures de course vont au puits pour des ajustements.» Et un bon huilage, pour Cammalleri, passe nécessairement par un traitement chiropratique.

PRÉVENTION, TRAITEMENT, PERFORMANCE

Le Dr Prebeg fait partie des nombreux chiropraticiens qui deviennent des professionnels de la santé de premier contact dans le monde du sport d’élite. Leur travail est orienté vers l’amélioration et l’optimisation des capacités de l’athlète. Leur mandat est clair : prévention, traitement et accompagnement à la performance.

Lorsqu’une blessure sportive survient, le chiropraticien établit un diagnostic précis et détermine un plan de traitement. Suite aux analyses radiologiques et autres tests préalables requis, il utilise la manipulation articulaire (ajustement) dans le but de rétablir la fonction articulaire, diminuer les tensions musculaires et redonner la fonction optimale aux différentes structures et aux systèmes du corps de l’athlète.

Ce qu’on appelle «l’ajustement» est le type de soin le plus utilisé, en chiropratique. Il consiste en une application de force contrôlée et de faible amplitude sur une zone donnée du corps. Par le biais de différentes techniques, le chiropraticien administre également des soins de tissus mous aux muscles, aux tendons, aux ligaments et aux fascias. Grâce à des modalités de soutien (glace, chaleur, électrothérapie, thérapie manuelle complémentaire) à des exercices de réhabilitation et à différents conseils, il accompagne l’athlète dans ses exploits sportifs et dans la réussite de sa carrière. Lorsque nécessaire, il peut aussi référer et ainsi faire bénéficier l’athlète de soins multidisciplinaires.

UNE DISCIPLINE QUI A SA PLACE

À titre bénévole au tournoi de hockey de votre enfant, en passant par les Jeux de Québec, les ligues professionnelles et les Jeux olympiques, les docteurs en chiropratique sont très impliqués auprès des sportifs. Le sport de haut niveau intègre d’ailleurs fréquemment des chiropraticiens à l’intérieur d’équipes de soutien multidisciplinaires.

À l’heure actuelle, pas moins de 80% des équipes professionnelles ont recours à des soins chiropratiques. En 2008, vingt-quatre équipes sur trente possédaient leur chiropraticien désigné dans la Ligue nationale de hockey. Dans le monde du baseball professionnel, la proportion grimpait à vingt-huit équipes sur trente la même année, et à trente et une équipes sur trente-deux dans la Ligue nationale de football.

Au niveau olympique, la croissance de cette tendance a été fulgurante, ces dernières décennies. En 1980, un seul chiropraticien figurait sur l’équipe médicale officielle d’un seul pays. En 2008, à Pékin, on comptait huit chiropraticiens actifs à l’intérieur des différentes équipes sportives pour le Canada uniquement. Leur présence fut également très marquée lors des derniers Jeux d’hiver à Vancouver.

LES ATHLÈTES EN HERBE

La chiropratique sportive aide aussi les sportifs amateurs, pour qui l’activité physique joue un rôle primordial dans le quotidien, et qui ne sont pas non plus à l’abri des blessures neuro-musculo-squelettiques. N’hésitez pas, vous non plus, à demander conseil à votre docteur en chiropratique. Il n’est pas nécessaire d’être une machine pour se donner le droit à un arrêt au puits de ravitaillement.

Sources:

Association des chiropraticiens du Québec : www.chiropratique.com

Conseil chiropratique des sciences du sport du Québec : www.ccssq.ca

Conseil du sport de haut niveau de Québec : La chiropratique au service de l’athlète,www.cshnq.org.

Canal V, Nos Canadiens, émission du 25 février 2011

Massage and Chiropractic !!!!

2011-02-18T12:30:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone

I wanted to talk about a topic that comes up alot in the clinic. Massage and chiropractic how do they work together? Can you do one and the other? I usually start by explaining to patients how I see health. I like to compare their health to a pie where each pieces of the pie need to be looked at. That can be described as wellness care. This does incorporate good nutrition, exercise, good sleeping habits.

If you remember chiropractic works on the motion or mechanics of your spine and your nervous system. There are two things that influence that motion or mechanics, the vertebras and the muscles. Remember that most back muscles have an insertion point on the vertebra. So if the muscles get tight they will restrict the motion in your vertebra and vice versa. If your vertebra are not moving well your brain will tell the muscles to become tight to make sure you don't use them as much. It is therefore key to take care of these aspects equally as they influence each other. So from experience I have noticed that patients that go for a massage before their adjustments are much more relax and their adjustment is much easier.

So YES massage is a great compliment to chiropractic !!! It should not replace it however because the massage can not restore the motion in the vertebra only the adjustment can do that.Here are some other benefits of massage:

Massage improves the circulation of oxygen-carrying blood to the extremities and helps eliminate wastes from the body
Massage relaxes you, relieves stress and anxiety, and supports feelings of general well-being
Massage works with your chiropractic care to retrain muscles that support your spine
Massage helps in managing the pain associated with certain physical conditions, such as arthritis and sciatica

The clinic is lucky to have to great massage therapists available for you during the week so feel free to call and book an appointment with either Gosia Buk or Joanne Harrison. Both are very experienced in working with chiropractors and will be very happy to help you!!

So start taking care of yourself!!

Valerie

LA SÉCURITÉ DES ENFANTS EN VOITURE

2011-02-08T16:12:00.003-05:00

Bonjour

Je trouvais important de partager avec vous cette capsule santé publiée par l'Association des Chiropraticiens du Québec. Je vois beaucoup de sièges d'auto dans ma clinique qui ne sont pas toujours appropriés pour l'âge du bébé. Les accidents sont vites arrivés! Assurez-vous que votre siège d'auto est bien installé!

Donc bonne lecture et n'hésitez pas si vous avez des questions!

Valérie

La sécurité des enfants en voiture

Les statistiques le démontrent : pas moins de 1250 enfants âgés de moins de neuf ans sont impliqués dans des accidents de la route, à chaque année[1]. On estime que les deux tiers des enfants ne sont pas installés de façon sécuritaire dans un véhicule.

Bon nombre de chiropraticiens rencontrent régulièrement des enfants qui souffrent de douleurs neuro-musculo-squelettiques reliées à cette réalité. Voici quelques conseils qui pourraient leur éviter le pire.

La sécurité avant tout

Le choc de l’impact causé par un accident de voiture est souvent la source de nombreux problèmes neuro-musculo-squelettiques. Parmi ceux-ci, les docteurs en chiropratique observent le plus fréquemment des blessures crâniennes, des lacérations faciales ainsi que des fractures. Suite à l’impact, le mouvement du corps peut se restreindre et les vertèbres se retrouvent désalignées. Il s’agit d’un complexe de subluxation vertébrale (CSV).

Même dans le cas d’un accident mineur, votre enfant peut souffrir d’un CSV. Les symptômes ne sont pas toujours immédiats, et il n’est pas nécessaire qu’il ait mal pour qu’un désalignement de vertèbres survienne. La douleur peut prendre des semaines, des mois, voire des années avant de se manifester véritablement. Si le problème n’est pas rapidement corrigé par un chiropraticien, votre enfant pourrait en subir les contrecoups pendant toute sa vie.

Le mouvement d’hyperextension et d’hyperflexion du cou entraîné par le choc de l’accident provoque souvent un « coup de lapin » ou un « whiplash » chez ses victimes. Cette condition a pour conséquence de blesser les ligaments et les muscles, ce qui entraîne des douleurs vives dans la nuque et des maux de tête.

Choisir le bon siège

Si votre enfant mesure moins de 63 centimètres en position assise, la loi vous oblige à l’installer dans un siège adapté à son poids et à sa taille. Mesurez sa taille depuis les fesses jusqu’à la tête. Faites-vous un devoir de consulter le manuel du fabricant avant d’installer le siège. Chaque siège a ses particularités qu’il vous faut respecter à la lettre.

Le siège de nouveau-né

Il est normalement destiné aux enfants de moins de 20 livres, et toujours installé à l’arrière. De cette façon, vous l’éloignez des parois latérales. Orientez-le face vers l’arrière : en cas de collision, son cou et sa cage thoracique absorberont mieux l’impact. Assurez-vous également que la tête du bébé ne dépasse pas le haut du dossier. Il sera ainsi protégé contre des blessures supplémentaires au cou et à la tête, si un arrêt brusque survient.

Le siège d’appoint

Beaucoup de parents omettent d’utiliser un siège d’appoint, quand cela est pourtant essentiel. Si votre enfant est devenu trop grand pour s’asseoir dans un siège d’enfant, vous devrez l’utiliser. Il convient aux enfants qui pèsent 40 livres et plus, et permet d’ajuster la ceinture à la hauteur de la clavicule et de la hanche. Assurez-vous également que la ceinture ne soit jamais glissée derrière son dos.

Jusqu’à quel âge?

Ce n’est pas l’âge de l’enfant qui déterminera le moment où le siège d’appoint n’est plus requis, mais plutôt son poids et sa grandeur. Référez-vous aux indications du fabricant pour le savoir, et assurez-vous que votre tout-petit ne dépasse pas la limite recommandée.

Faire preuve de vigilance

1. Coussins gonflables

Gardez en tête que, lorsqu’il se déploie, le coussin gonflable explose littéralement. Et si sa présence diminue les blessures chez les enfants attachés de 9 à 12 ans, on ne peut en dire autant chez les plus jeunes. L’impact du déploiement du coussin gonflable peut entraîner de sévères dommages à la tête et à la colonne cervicale.

2. Banquette avant

Le plus simple et le plus prudent est de faire de la banquette avant une zone interdite pour votre enfant, en tout temps. Assis sur le siège avant d’un véhicule, les enfants de moins de 63 centimètres risquent des blessures sévères ou même le décès en cas de collision. Surtout s’il y a présence d’un coussin gonflable sur le côté passager de la voiture. Nul besoin de devoir traverser le pays d’est en ouest pour user de vigilance dans vos déplacements. Le plus souvent, les accidents surviennent à moins de 10 kilomètres de la maison. Voyez-y de près, et informez-vous auprès de votre spécialiste de la chiropratique!

Sources :

Association des chiropraticiens du Québec

Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec

[1] Statistique obtenue par la Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec

Car safety for kids!

2011-02-08T15:48:00.003-05:00

Hi everybody

I had a patient who came to the clinic today with her 9 month old baby. She came because she injured herself trying to put the baby car seat in her car. These baby car seat are very difficult on mom's backs. The reason is quite simple because even without a baby they are heavy and then when you add a baby they are heavier. Some parents are not all aware as to when they need to change car seats. So this is what happened today. The little guy was 9 months old and his feet were almost past the car seat. When I asked how what was the babies weight she could not answer ? She did not know if her car seat was good until 20lbs or more. This is little guy must have been very close to the limit! So do you know when to change the car seat? It is very important to read the instructions of the car seat you purchase! Some of the baby car seats usually have a maximum weight of 20lbs so check the weight of your child. Also kids should be rear facing as long as possible. I always refer to the web site of the SAAQ for information. Look for some clinics that are offered by your local police to make sure your car seats are well installed in your car.

I am copying some text from the web site from the SAAQ that I thought might make you realize that accidents can happen anywhere and have huge consequences if your child is not restrained properly!

"According to an SAAQ 2007 survey, 2 out of 3 children are not safe when riding in a vehicle. Approximately 83% of children are in a seat that is suited to their height and weight, but seats are used correctly, that is, the child car seat is properly anchored on the seat of the vehicle and the child is properly restrained in the seat, in only 41% of cases.

Even today, 1.4% of children are not restrained in either a child car seat or with a seat belt. Children are sometimes even seated on a parent's lap or stand on the back seat.

At 50 km/h, the weight of objects in movement is multiplied by 35. In an impact, a 9 kg child can become a 315 kg projectile that can collide with the dashboard or be ejected from the vehicle."

So on that note make sure your kids are well restrained next time you simply go to the depanneur and don't forget that they grow up and that you need to change and update your car seats !

Drive safely !!!

valerie

Great parenting workshop!

2011-01-23T20:28:00.002-05:00

Hi everybody

Do you ever trouble parenting your kids. Do you feel like you just get frustrated because nobody seems to listen to each other and understand what is happening. Well last winter I attended this great workshop given by a friend of mine based on the book "talk so your kids will listen" . It was so helpful!! It allowed me to get some tools that are not only reward base or bribery base to make my kids listen to me! So I will give the information if you feel like attending a workshop I am sharing the information.

If you decide to attend I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I am sure you will not regret it!

Valerie

To all Montreal Families - a chance to add some skills to your parenting toolbox!
Workshop: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen (and Listen So Kids Will Talk!)
Start Date: Wednesday, Feb 9th for 6 weeks
Time: 7:30-9:30pm
Contact: Tanja Knutson - 514-245-4464
Covers: Learning empathy, encouraging cooperation, nurturing confidence, alternatives to punishment, cultivating virtues.

Nursing in public!

2011-01-14T11:15:00.003-05:00

Hi everybody

I hope you are getting back in your routine following the holidays! We sure are!! School is busy and the ski season is in full swing. So I do not know if you heard on the news about this controversy last week. There was a situation where a mom was nursing her baby in a baby clothing store in Montreal and she was told that she could not nurse her baby there. Amazing that in 2011 people are still told not to feed there baby in a public place or are sent to the bathroom. Would you eat in a bathroom?? Anyway the mother got angry and blogged about it and it got picked up by the news. The store finally sent her an official apology letter and the mother accepted the apology. Some nursing moms have also decided to organize a Nurse-In on January 19th at 1pm. So if you are a nursing mother feel free to join them on this day!

Here is the official invitation:

Attend the Nurse-In at 1pm January 19th, 2011 to support mothers and children's rights. Share this info with everyone you know. Remember that not breastfeeding increases health care costs and therefore our taxes.

Orchestra – Montréal Complexe Les Ailes
677, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Montreal, QC

So here is my question to all of you. Did you nurse in public? Did anything ever happened to you that you felt like you had to go somewhere else to nurse your baby?

I can tell you that I was never embarrassed to nurse my babies. I have nursed them on airplane, in shopping malls, at the park, at the beach etc... If my babies needed to be comforted or fed I never had a moment of hesitation. I can assure you that I was discreet and not exposing everything to everybody but I was never stopped. It is such a primal thing when your baby is crying you need to respond now. Don't forget I had twins!!! so if someone was making heads turn while nursing it was me!

I think in 2011 people should not be embarrassed to nurse in public and should be supported. We have come along way where moms had to go to another room to feed their baby and be excluded from everything. Let 's make sure we do not go back in time!!!

So let me know what you think !

Have a great week end

Valerie

Happy New Year!

2011-01-07T11:18:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year !

So it has been a while since I wrote but the holidays preparation got me really busy. The good news is now we are in a new year full of great ideas and plans. I am just finishing my first week back from the holidays. The clinic is cleaned up, the papers are filed and patients are slowly making there way back!

A new year allows us to meditate and think about what we want to achieve in this new year. It is always classic people make resolutions that they can't hold more then a few weeks. Have you noticed that the gyms are always full of people the first few weeks after the holidays! So I encourage you to think about your resolutions and make some that you can hold.

Have you ever thought about making a resolution regarding your spinal health. Why don't you give it a year and take care of your spine regularly and see how much better you will feel! On top of spinal health let's try the classics eat better, make sure you sleep well and exercise! 2011 will be the year where you take care of yourself. Set aside 15 min per day to meditate or take a break from the chaos!

So these resolutions are also mine this year. The spinal health I am already well organized in that matter but I promise myself this year to take care of me first! Wow that is hard for a mother but I will try. I will exercise regularly, meditate every day and take breaks. No major projects just living everyday well and be happy! Happy with myself and my family.

So what other resolutions do you have for 2011 ? Feel free to share them with me.

Make 2011 be a good year to everyone

Valerie

Pelleter sans vous blesser!

2010-12-07T08:54:00.004-05:00

Alors la première tempête de neige est enfin arrivé!!! Voici un article publié par l'Association des Chiropraticiens du Québec sur le pelletage!! Amusez vous bien dans la neige!!

Pour une période hivernale en santé, pensez pelleter léger !

Montréal, le 6 décembre 2010 – La période des Fêtes entraîne son lot de surprises et d’instants magiques. Le retour des bordées de neige en fait partie ! Aussi envoûtantes soient-elles, les précipitations de neige imposent toutefois aux Québécoises et aux Québécois d’empoigner leur pelle et de s’activer à la besogne du déneigement.

Puisqu’il s’agit d’un exercice physique très exigeant pour le cœur et les articulations, nombreuses sont les personnes qui se blessent en pelletant. Selon le Dr Robert David, porte-parole de l’Association des chiropraticiens du Québec, « le nombre de patients qui consultent leur chiropraticien pour des blessures aux muscles, aux articulations et aux nerfs augmente en cette période de l’année. Pourtant, bien des blessures peuvent être évitées si la technique pour pelleter est adéquate. »

Pour mieux apprécier la beauté du paysage à l’approche de Noël, préparez-vous dès maintenant à pelleter en forme et en santé. Pour y arriver, suivez ces quelques conseils chiropratiques. Les festivités vous paraîtront plus romantiques, et votre dos vous en remerciera !

Ne laissez pas la neige s’accumuler. Il est préférable de pelleter plusieurs fois en petites quantités plutôt que d’attendre la fin d’une tempête.

Pour délier les articulations et activer la circulation sanguine, prenez entre 5 et 10 minutes pour vous échauffer avant de débuter. En guise de préparation, marchez sur place, montez et descendez les escaliers, faites des flexions latérales du tronc et des flexions du dos.

Choisissez une pelle légère avec un manche ergonomique courbé. Idéalement, votre pelle est en plastique ou en aluminium et de type pousse-neige. Son manche doit être suffisamment long pour que vous n’ayez pas à vous pencher pour travailler, mais ne doit pas dépasser vos épaules.

Poussez la neige au lieu de la soulever. Si vous devez absolument la lancer, soulevez seulement la quantité que vous pouvez transporter, et déplacez vos pieds dans la direction souhaitée et ne lancez jamais la neige plus haut que la hauteur de vos épaules. Les mouvements de flexion-extension et de rotation causent une très grande tension sur les disques intervertébraux et les ligaments. Les entorses lombaires et les hernies discales peuvent survenir suite à ces mouvements.
·
Forcez avec vos cuisses plutôt qu’avec votre dos. N’oubliez pas de plier les genoux, de toujours garder le dos bien droit et de tenir la pelle près de votre corps.

Ne tournez pas le tronc et ne lancez jamais la neige par-dessus votre épaule ou sur le côté.

Ne travaillez pas toujours du même côté, et assurez-vous de pelleter de la neige à votre droite autant qu’à votre gauche.

Portez plusieurs couches de vêtements, que vous pourrez retirer au besoin tout en gardant l’attirail nécessaire afin de prévenir les engelures.

Travaillez à un rythme régulier et prenez des pauses fréquentes, surtout si la neige est lourde et mouillée.

En cas de fatigue et d’essoufflement, reposez-vous toutes les 10 à 15 minutes.

Buvez beaucoup d’eau. La déshydratation survient autant en hiver qu’en été.

Méfiez-vous du redoux. Par temps froid, la demande physique est moindre que lorsqu’il y a un redoux. La concentration d’eau dans la neige augmente son poids en même temps que les risques de blessures. Au printemps, donc, réduisez la quantité de neige contenue dans chaque pelletée.

Si vous ressentez de la douleur après avoir pelleté, appliquez de la glace sur la région douloureuse pendant 10 à 15 minutes. Reposez-vous ensuite durant quelques heures. Attention à l’application de la chaleur : cela pourrait faire augmenter l’inflammation. Dans la journée, appliquez de la glace à toutes les deux heures. Si l’inconfort persiste plus de trois jours, consultez le chiropraticien le plus près de chez vous.

Si votre colonne vertébrale n’est pas dans une santé optimale, vous risquez davantage de développer des problèmes lors d’une première bordée de neige. Prévenez les maux! Votre chiropraticien peut vous aider à corriger les dysfonctions de votre système neuro-musculo-squelettique.

À propos de l’ACQ

L’Association des chiropraticiens du Québec (ACQ) est un organisme sans but lucratif existant depuis 1966. Dans le cadre de sa mission d’éducation populaire, l’ACQ cherche constamment à mettre en œuvre des projets éducatifs visant l’amélioration de la santé publique par des approches naturelles. C’est dans cet esprit que nous sommes heureux d’offrir aux Québécoises et aux Québécois des conseils pour une période des Fêtes et une saison hivernale saine et sécuritaire.

Pour en savoir davantage sur la façon adéquate de pelleter, nous vous invitons à consulter le www.chiropratique.com.

Valérie

Ear infections and chiropractic!

2010-11-25T14:34:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone

Today I wanted to discuss otitis or ear infections. I get a lot of questions in the clinic from moms about that topic. A study just came out last week and it was all over the press. It said that antibiotics have little impact on ear infections!! The study showed that most ear infections will clear within a 3-4 days on their own! So if antibiotics are not the answer anymore right away what can you do for your children? Chiropractic may be a solution ! So do chiropractors treat ear infections or not? I always start that answer with yes and no! We treat the spine. So is there a link between ear infections and the spine. Yes there is!!! Funny enough just a week prior to this study being published, a mom came to me with her 18 month old because she had been suffering from repeated otitis. She is doing great and even had another cold while under treatment without having an ear infection!

But first let's talk about what is and causes ear infection in children?

Most parents of young children will most probably have to deal with one bout of otitis with their children. Most of these will occur before the age of 3 and the occurrence diminishes dramatically by age 6. Most otitis tend to occur because the eustachian tube becomes blocked due to an accumulation of liquid behind. This is very different from the ear aches children will get from swimming a lot. These ear infections are called otitis externa or swimmer's ear. What I will talk is mainly about otitis media. Kids are very prone to viruses in the fist few years of life. When they get a cold, it tends to create a lot of mucus and inflammation in the ear nose throat area which can translate in very acute ear pain. This also tends to coincides when kids start daycare because suddenly they are exposed to a huge germ pool! There are also a few anatomical reasons why kids are more prone to otitis. Their eustachian tube is more horizontal, shorter and smaller then in adults which does not allow it to drain properly.

Children will usually pull their ear, complain of pain, may loose their appetite and have fever. If the tympanic membrane perforates the ear will leak a liquid. It is important to get your children examined with an otoscope to determine if the ear is infected either by a medical doctor or a chiropractor. A proper follow up is necessary to avoid complications. The new study says to delay the start of antibiotics by at least 4 days, that more then 80% of ear infections will clear on their own. But in the mean time your child is miserable usually will have a fever and you are probably miserable as well. You should definitely control the pain and fever with ibuprofen.

So where does chiropractic comes in. We know that kids that have a cervical spines that are not moving properly will end up with muscles spasms in the neck. This tension can have an impact on the lymphatic drainage of your child and therefore not allow proper drainage from the eustachian tube. Chiropractors can help improve tremendously the drainage by restoring good mechanics in the neck and muscles of your child. I also will massage all the neck and play with the ear to help the drainage.

Another important factor to consider is that when kids are sick dairy products should be avoided. Dairy does contribute to the increase in mucus and will not help.

So in summary here is what I would suggest if your child develops an ear infection; control the pain with ibuprofen, get your child adjusted, you can put a hot cloth on the affected ear and use an homeopathic product called traumeel for the ears in a drop format. See and evaluate in 4 days to decide if antibiotics are necessary. If they are make sure to give probiotics as supplement to replenish your child's gut with good bacteria.

I hope this will help you understand ear infections!!

I am including the link in french and in english to the article enjoy!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/16/antibiotics.ear.infections/index.html

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/vivre/sante/enfants/201011/17/01-4343519-les-antibiotiques-peu-utiles-contre-les-otites-des-enfants.php

I am also including the pamphlet on Traumeel for your information

http://www.heel.ca/pdf/flyers/Traumeel%20GP%20Flyer%20ANG.pdf

Valerie

Great conference!!!

2010-11-16T14:16:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone

So I finally have a minute to blog. Life is not slowing down it seems like....

I had the pleasure of attending the Canadian Congress of Chiropractic in Toronto this last week end. This is quite a big conference and the topics were very interesting. It is always stimulating to attend these for many reasons. You get to see friends you have not seen in a long time but also you get to see the top people in the profession.

So here are some highlights. I really enjoyed the talk by Dr. Jeff Spencer dc. He had the privilege to be the chiropractor of Lance Armstrong during his Tour de France. He was a great motivational speaker. He was treating the team during the Tour de France. He started his presentation by asking us if you want to live life in the pack or be on the podium. He told us some of the characteristics that these athletes have and that makes them be on the podium and not in the pack. One trait that they seem to have is that they are super adaptors in life. They know how to react and when to react. He also talked about how important it is to have a reason to get up in the morning whether it is for your family your work, you need to have that fire in the belly. Another great trait, is that they can think outside the box. That allows them to be flexible and find solutions. One great sentence that he said was that we needed to be leaders in our own life. He also mentioned that champions believe in their differences and that is what makes them succeed.

He was very inspiring and he was written a few books which are supposed to be excellent. I will definitely put them on my christmas list here is a link to his books and web page to go visit

http://discoverwellnesscenter.com/wellness_topics/c_542_recommended_readingviewing.html

One book is called Turn it Up!! and Discover Wellness.

Another great talk we had was from a chiropractor that was part of the polyclinic at Whistler during the olympics Dr.Rocco Guerriero dc. It was the first time in the history of the olympics that chiropractors were actually part of the clinic and not just on the country's team. He had great stories about top athletes coming to get treated and getting amazing results. These athletes were able to go back and compete in their sport. So that was a big step for chiropractors !! I hope it will be reproduced in the next olympics.

I also had the pleasure of listening to top researchers in the field and what is happening these days. One that really was interesting is Dr.Marc Erwing dc. His topics of research are in regenerative spine research. He works with a multidisciplinary team in Toronto. This research could impact many peoples lives in the next years.

So I could keep talking for a very long time but as you can see I am back and full of energy. I am ready to treat my patients and give them the best care possible. I just love attending conferences!!!

Have a great day

Valerie

Pain in the in the bum!!

2010-10-21T15:39:00.002-04:00

Hi everybody

Today I wanted to talk about something that I see very often in the clinic. People come in complaining of pain in the bum or butt. They usually say it is hard to go from a sitting position to a standing position. The pain can travel down in the leg along the back. They also describe pain when they walk or if they have been sitting for a long time. This usually describes a classic sacro-iliac irritation. This joint needs to work well to give good mechanics to the lower leg. So it can have an impact on your knee as well as your low back!

What is the sacro-iliac joint?

It is the joint between your sacrum ( the triangular bone at the end of your spinal column ) and the iliac bone. Some people think they have pain in their hip but that is not the hip. This is the joint that gets recruited when you go from a sitting to a standing position. When it gets inflammed it can get quite sore. Some people even have trouble putting weight on their leg. It is also a joint that gives a lot of trouble to pregnant women. It is the joint that gets loose during pregnancy. It needs to open a bit for delivery.

What usually accompanies this is big muscle spasms in the bum or gluteus.

If you experience this type of pain go see your chiropractor. They will perform a full examination and determine if it is in fact your sacro-iliac joint giving you trouble.

The treatment usually consists of muscle work to the bum or gluteus muscle and adjusting the joint. At home what is important to start doing from the minute you feel this kind of pain is to ICE. DO NOT APPLY HEAT it will make it worst. When you go to bed, put pillows between your legs and make sure you avoid any rotation of your pelvis. Also getting in the car, put your bum in completely and rotate the legs in. The chiropractor will also give you some stretches to help your muscle in your bum!

Next time you have pain in your bum do not ignore it and get treated quickly.

Valerie

Fall is here! Time to pick up the leaves.

2010-10-14T15:27:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone

So here we are, a new season is starting. The trees are changing colours and soon your yard will be filled with them. What comes with leaves on the ground is hard work because they need to be picked up. Every season I get a couple of patients that injure themselves during that time.

So here are some of the things to remember when you are picking up the leaves in your yard.

1- Do not stretch beyond your arm length when you rake or in the motion you are doing. If you do your spine will be taking the extra stress and therefore may give you some pain the next day.

2- Alternate side when you rake. To make sure you do not put stress only on one side of your back.

3- Get a rake that is soft and fanned like. It is a bit longer to pick up but easier on the arms.

4- Do not pick up if it rained, the leaves are heavier.

5- When you fill the bags do not over fill them so that they are not too heavy.

6-When you pick up something heavy make sure to use your legs and do not twist your body while leaving your feet stationary. The low back can not sustain torsion.

7-Take breaks and make sure you stretch after your day.

I hope these tricks will make it easier for you to pick up your leaves. Don't forget to include your kids in this fun activity and may they can enjoy jumping in the pile of leaves before they get in the bags.

Enjoy the fall and go for long walks, it is so beautiful still before the cold season sets in.

Valerie

Nursing twins

2010-09-28T14:39:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

I just had the visit of one of my patient who was expecting twins with her babies that are now 13 days old. It brings back such memories for me to see these little babies!! It seems like yesterday I had my twins in my arms, tiny little chicken like I used to call them. The mom was visiting me to consult on nursing her twin babies.

Nursing twins brings many challenges but it is doable. With a good support system!!! Moms can do it. How many time have I heard you will not be able to nurse your babies !! One of the tricks that worked for me was to nurse them together. It made it alot easier with a good twin breastfeeding pillow. Moms of twins are tired but I say it is like a marathon take one day at a time and you will get there. It can only get easier from here. Try to have two naps at the beginning, one in the morning and one in the afternoon so that you can cope a bit better with the sleep deprivation. Accept that you can not do everything alone and you need help.

The best thing you can do to help parents of twins is to bring them food, offer to clean the house and or change a diaper, give the baths to the babies. Let the mom nurse the twins and feed them.

On my web site you can find an article that talks about nursing twins www.chirofamilial.com feel free to go visit it and print it.

Twins are special to me obviously and I just wanted to share a few tips with you today. Next time you see a twin mom nursing don't tell her "how do you do it" but congratulate her! It will go a long way to encourage her.

Valerie

What do chiropractors treat?

2010-09-21T16:24:00.002-04:00

Hi everybody

So it has been a few weeks since I wrote on my blog. Life has been busy here with activities, school and sports.

Today I wanted to talk about what we treat. I have had 3 clients in the last few weeks shocked to find out that we treat knees, elbows and extremities. Chiropractors are trained to treat any thing that relates to your musculoskeletal system. That means anything that has to do with the spine, muscles and nervous system. So we can evaluate any conditions and decide if we are able to treat or we need to refer out.

So the main conditions we help people for are headaches, neck pain, back pain, sciatica, bursitis, tendonitis, knee pain, elbow pain etc....

Also do not forget that when you end up having pain, usually the issue has been there for a while and now your body is telling you to take care of it!! So you can come and visit a chiropractor even before you have pain. We will make sure things are moving well before the inflammation sets in.

So I hope you are not surprised anymore with the fact that we do treat extremities i.e. knees, ankles, shoulders, elbow and wrists so do not hesitate to tell your chiropractor if you have any parts of your body that gives you problem!!

Hope that clarified a few things!!

Valerie

My summer challenge!

2010-09-07T11:45:00.006-04:00

Hi everybody

So today I wanted to talk briefly about my summer challenge that I had given myself 3 months ago!! In May, I had a talk with myself and decided that the time had come to get back in shape. My kids were growing up and were sleeping through the night. I had more energy then I had in a long time. So I thought no more procrastination now is the time!!

So I decided to start using my treadmill for more then a close hanger!!! I started to run for 10 min and walk 1 min and run 10 min and walk 5 min. I started doing that 3-4 times a week. I realized quickly that I really enjoyed running to music so here I was on Itunes updating my running lists. A few girlfriends real runners pushed me to try running outside and that was it, I was addicted!!!

So with the help of these girls, I thought could I train to do a 10km race in september at the Marathon de Montreal!! The challenge was on! I ran in the heat, in the rain, practice some cross country trails. I did a 10 km trial race to see if i could do it. I passed the test and signed up with my girlfriend for the Montreal marathon. I was addicted to the racing aspect of running. The adrenaline before the start is high and the reward at the end is big.

So here, I was sunday morning after 3 months of training ready to try my best time and do my 10km under an hour. I ate pasta the night before, went to bed early, ate my breakfast ( 2 toast orange juice and a banana) and I was ready!

We were lucky because the weather was perfect, cool and sunny a bit windy but that was fine.

In the end, I did great!!! I ran alot faster then I would normally in training. Around the 8th km I got a bit tired but I knew I was almost done so at around 9km I increased my speed and sprinted at the end. The feeling when you come in the Olympic stadium was quite something. I stepped on the mat and my time was 59' 59''. I did it!!!! That is all I could say!!!! My actual chip time was 59'43''.

I was so happy at the end to get my medal around the neck. That is what I had worked for!!! I had a big smile on my face all day after!!

I was happy about my accomplishment!! I worked hard, challenged myself and I did it. This comes from a girl who used to say could not run!! Now I will keep running and keep improving and find more races to do.

So I challenge you! What will be your challenge? Is it sport related, career or family? It is good to have something to work towards. It is good to push yourself and see what we can accomplish. A goal gives you a direction, a focus and such a great feeling at the end.

Here is my photo before the race. I am with my friend Sophie who helped me keep going. I should thank my other running partner Nathalie.

So find your challenge and go with it, you never know where it will take you!!!!

Valerie

More back to school information

2010-08-26T14:21:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

I have finally time to write a little note. I took a week off and recharged my batteries. I am ready for the fall and full of energy.

Now I thought I could share with you a few other things regarding the back to school. My kids started yesterday. Now we are slowly getting back in the school routine. Going to bed early, homework ( yes we had some on the first day!!) etc...

A few things to remember that this period can be quite stressful for kids. Some kids find it difficult to start up again and are anxious to see who will be their teacher and if their friends will be with them. Try to reassure them as much as possible. Make sure they go to bed early because they will be tired!!!

Another thing I like to question is where they are seated because you want to verify that they move around in the class and are not always sitting facing the board in one direction. So inquire how often they change positions.

Remind your kids to get their back packs on both shoulders and to put the heavy books close to the back. See my other blog on the back pack information.

Remind them about their posture at there desk. They should try to sit upright and lean against the back of the chair.

So I hope these tips will help your back to school routine be easier

Valerie

Choosing a back pack for school!

2010-08-10T14:20:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

Yes it is that time of year already! It seems like yesterday we were just finishing school and starting summer vacation but school starts at least for us in less then 3 weeks. When you go shopping all the back to school supplies are out!! I think it is very important to talk about back pack. Many kids have the wrong back pack, carry it poorly, and do not know how to fill it. Back packs do create a lot of neck, upper and even lower back pain in kids. So here are some important recommendations to follow when shopping for a back pack:

1- Choose a back pack versus a bag that gets carried only on one shoulder

2-You should make sure you can adjust the straps and that it has a waist strap

3- Adjust the back pack so that is it not higher than the shoulders and should not be lower than the waist or hips. So the size of your child will determine the size of the bag.

4-When you fill up the back pack put the heavy and bigger books towards the back of the bag closer to the back of your child

5-The bag should not weigh more then 10% of the weight of your child. So get the scale out weigh your child and then weigh the bag with a simple calculation you can figure out if the bag is too heavy for your child to carry

6- To lift the bag on the shoulders, your child should put it on a flat surface like a table and then put the straps and lift with the legs the weight of the bag.

7- Never wear the back pack on one shoulder.

So I hope this will help you choose your back pack. Have a good back to school and beginning of the school year.

Valerie

Be careful starting an exercise program!

2010-08-05T14:13:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone

I wanted to talk briefly about starting out an exercise program. I had an interesting case come through the clinic on tuesday. The lady has an acute torticollis. She could not move her head at all right or left. She could not look up. The muscles were all in spasms around the neck and shoulder. So what happened? I questioned and asked a bunch of question and she said it just started like that sunday morning. So with my experience I inquired to see what she had done that would have been different on saturday and there it was! She mentioned that she had decided to do a spinning class. It had been a long time since she had done one she said. So questioning more I said " could you have used your neck muscles to help you pedal" the answer was "yes". She used other muscles to compensate for the weaknesses to help her in the spinning class. So I am pretty convinced that she injured herself on saturday but the inflammation and the spasms only came about 24 hours later.

This is so common where people who have not exercised in a long time decide to go out and do what they used to do. The issue is that their body is not ready for that. When you have not exercised in a long time you must ease yourself into it slowly otherwise your body will let you know!!! This is a recurrent theme in the clinic when people feel a little bit better, they go all out and do what they used to do. Usually I get a call the next day and we are back to square one!! so remember to slowly start and give a chance to your body to adjust to the change!!

Valerie

A bit of history!!

2010-08-03T17:25:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

I thought it would be interesting to share a bit of chiropractic history. Did you know chiropractic was discovered over 110 years ago!! Yes chiropractic has been around that long. Chiropractic was discovered by D.D. Palmer a canadian who then went to the United States. The history says that D.D. Palmer would have performed an adjustment on a janitor who was partially deaf and that is hearing restored. D.D. Palmer had been experimenting with the spine for a long time and decided to name his discovery CHIROPRACTIC. It comes from greek : Chiro which means hands and practic which means done by therefore done by hands. Since then chiropractic has made many advancement and research has proven that chiropractic can help many discomfort. Chiropractic is taught around the world and focuses on the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal problems. We use manual techniques or adjustments to help the joints, the muscles and the nervous system.

This is why I love this profession. We listen and touch our patients where they have pain. It is quite reassuring for patients when we can finally find why they have had pain for so long. Chiropractic can help you so do not hesitate to come see one!!!

Valerie

A special day!

2010-07-29T16:06:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

So I wanted to share with you a very special day in my life. Yesterday it was my daughter's birthday. Why is it special? because she turned 9 years old and she is my first born. Only one year away from double digits like everybody says. I can't believe that 9 years have passed since I became a mother for the first time. Where did the time go? I am still amazed at how my life has changed since the kids have come into my life. I still remember giving birth and seeing that little person for the first time. It was so special!! I had no experience, I did not know what I was doing! With her I have learned about baby behaviour, how to deal with the first fever the first sickness, the first bumps and bruises, the first smile and hug!

People always ask me how does chiropractic and lactation consultant relate to each other. How did you become interested in the LC work? I had terrible nursing issues myself. I remember crying and being in tears because it had gotten so painful. So I decided to figure things out and went to Chapter's. I came back with a many books( too many according to my husband!) read a lot of sites on the internet on breastfeeding. Then I was referred to this lady that was going to help me by my midwife. That is when I met my mentor, Carole Dobrich . With her help I solved my nursing issues and parented my children exactly the way I wanted to. If it was not for her I probably would have given up a long time ago. Thanks Carole I will never thank you enough!!! I developed such a passion for the science of breastfeeding that I then did the prerequisites and became a lactation consultant. When I graduated from chiropractic college, I never thought I would do anything else then chiropractic. Adding lactation to my practice has brought me exactly where I always dreamed to be in my practice. I treat moms babies and do family care. I feel so good when I help a new mom. I remember being in their shoes feeling completely hopeless when things were not working for me and how grateful I was when I got the right help.

Kids challenge you!! There are good days and bad days. I also know that I am not done with challenges by any means but I am out of the baby and toddler phase. The fun thing is that I still see babies everyday in my practice which is a lot of fun!

Thanks to my kids because not only have I grown as a person, I also have grown professionally. I would not be where I am today if they would not have come in my life.

Thanks Audrey I love you. Enjoy being 9 years old and don't grow up to fast!!

Valerie( maman)

Each patient is different!!!

2010-07-23T09:55:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

So today I wanted to talk about the fact that each patient is different. Why am I saying this is that a lot of people think that all chiropractors do is "crack" . I always like to take the time to explain to my patients that I am equipped with a lot of tools in my bag!! After the examination, I can determine with the patient which tool will be best to use for that person!! No I do not adjust everybody. Well actually I do but with different techniques! Some people I would only do some special muscle work others I would use a little tool or my table to help me adjust. On babies I do a special technique called craniosacral which is very soft touch. I want people to know that they can talk to me and actually tell me what they are comfortable with. Remember we have many techniques that can be used depending on age, case or problem. Not all of them require the famous sound!! So go see a chiropractor and discuss how you feel and find a technique that works for you. That is the beauty of our profession it is an art as well!!! Don't forget that you are unique and your care will be unique to you as well. My treatment will match your individual needs!!!

Valerie

Blocked ducts during breastfeeding

2010-07-20T13:58:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

I wanted to talk quickly about blocked ducts when mothers are breastfeeding. I am seeing quite a few mothers with this problem, so I wanted to mention what to do if you find one. Blocked ducts happen sometimes when the mother is very tired or there is a change of routine i.e. skipped a feed or baby started solid food or is drinking less. Another cause could simply be your bra. Bras with underwire should not be worn. They can press on the breast and create pressure. Moms will feel a lump in their breast that is tender and sore. The important thing to know is to make sure you are not having mastitis. With a blocked duct you have NO fever NO redness. It is very important to know the difference.

The simpler way to treat is to start soaking the breast in a bowl of hot water with a bit of epsom salt 5 minutes before the feed. Massage the breast while the baby is well latched to help the milk flow. If after doing all these techniques, it is still present you can get ultrasound therapy done. The ultrasound creates a deep heat which helps the blocked duct. I do ultrasound on the mothers breasts for 8minutes and she will feed the baby right away. Usually within one or two visits the blocked duct disappears and the mother is quite relieved. So pass on the information not everybody is aware that ultrasound can help with blocked duct!!!

If the mother is having repetitive blocked ducts, she can also take lecithin. It is a supplement which will change the viscosity of the milk and make it less sticky if you would like. Moms can take 1200mg 3-4 x per day.

With this information if you have a blocked duct try the heat, massage the lump and if does not go away try ultrasound. Hope you find this helpful if you know moms that are nursing pass on the information! Obviously if things get worse then consult your health professional right away.

Valerie

Enjoy Summer!

2010-07-15T15:12:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

Today I just wanted to tell everyone to take time and enjoy your summer!! Usually summer is a time where people have more energy, are out more, exercise more and feel better overall. The weather has been so nice in the last few days that I thought it would a good time to talk about a few healthy living habits. Even myself this summer I decided to get in better shape and started a running program. Exercise has been proven to help your physical and mental health so why don't you go out and go for a nice brisk walk for 30 min tonight? You should try to exercise 3-4 times a week and you will see the changes quickly. Also drink plenty of water. In the heat you must stay hydrated. Do not forget to carry a water bottle with you and drink, drink drink. Quit the bad habits such as smoking and sedentary lifestyles. Did you know that smoking actually increases your chances of having back pain. It is actually reported in the literature that smokers have more back pain. Make healthy food choices. In the summer it is so easy to get fresh vegetables and fruits, eat plenty of them. Get your spine checked regularly. Good spinal health goes along way to help you do all your activities.

Anyway all these are things I am sure you know but sometimes it is good to remind yourself !! So go out and enjoy summer!!

Douleurs à côté de l'omoplate!!!

2010-07-13T14:17:00.002-04:00

Bonjour,

Aujourd'hui je veux parler de la même chose qu'en anglais car c'est un syndrome que je vois tellement souvent à la clinique et qui est très mal diagnostiqué. Seulement aujourd'hui 3 patients ce matin avaient ce problème. Le problème s'appelle syndrome costovertébral. Les patients se plaignent souvent de douleurs à côté de l'omoplate et non sur la colonne. Ils décrivent une douleur qui brûle, qui peut irradier jusqu'en avant. Elle peut aussi empêcher de respirer si elle devient aigu. Quand les gens éternuent et toussent la douleur est aggravée. Les patients peuvent même avoir de la difficulté à bouger le bras.

Qu'est-ce- qui cause le problème? Habituellement des mouvements de bras répétitifs, lever des choses lourdes i.e. enfants,valises etc... sont les causent les plus communes. Lorsque la mobilité du joint formé entre la vertèbre et la côte devient diminuer bien la douleur commence. Souvent les patients se font dire que les douleurs sont seulement les muscles en spasmes. Les muscles font parti du problème mais le joint costovertébral accentue le tout.

Ce qui m'impressionne souvent est que les patients parfois ont ces douleurs depuis très longtemps. Habituellement ce syndrome répond très bien à la manipulation vertébrale. Au début je travaille les muscles et ensuite j'ajuste la région. Les changements sont drastiques et le patient a beaucoup moins mal instantanément. Donc si vous souffrez de douleurs qui ressemblent à la description faite plus haut n'attendez plus et consultez!!!

À plus tard....
Valerie

Pain beside the shoulder blade!!

2010-07-13T14:00:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

So today I decided to talk about a classic thing I see so often in the clinic. What is funny is that I had 3 patients today show up with that exact pain. It is pain linked to ribs actually called costovertebral syndrome. What does that mean??? Patients usually describe pain beside the shoulder blade not exactly on the spine. It hurst if they move their arm or they just feel a burning nagging pain in that area. If it becomes very acute people can't breath and report a stabbing knife in their backs. It can also hurt when they are sneezing or coughing . It can also refer to the front of the thorax as well. Some even have difficulty moving their arm. Many times it is misdiagnosed as muscles spasms. I agree that we have alot of muscles in that area but when I touch the exact spot I am on the joint between the vertebra and the rib head. How do people injure themselves? Lifting something heavy such as kid, suitcases, or repetitive arm motion hanging in the air. Whenever we move our arms our rib also move and if they lose their normal motion then they start to create discomfort.

With this issue it is drastic the change once we have done the adjustment. I usually do some muscle work all around and then proceed to the chiropractic adjustment. People immediately report feeling better after the adjustment. I have patients now that know exactly when the rib is not moving well and is interfering and come in with the diagnosis before I even touch them.

I love treating this because some patients have been living with pain for years and a few visits it changes everything!!!

until next time

valerie

Chiropractic and headaches

2010-07-08T14:13:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

Today I wanted to talk about headaches. It is not uncommon for people to come to the clinic and tell me that they have headaches everyday and live with it. Most of them simply take medication or have tried different things and nothing seems to help. For many having a headache is a normal part of their life. Why I love chiropractic is that I have had many cases, it will change their life. They will go from having a headache everyday to hardly any and they are able to reduce all the medication that they take. But why?

I describe to my patients that there are different types of headaches. The one type that we can help is called cervicogenic headache. These types of headaches are so common and misdiagnosed. They are linked to tensions in the neck, jaw and face. The lack of motion of vertebras in the neck will create muscles tensions all around the neck, jaw and face. These headaches usually cause pain on both side of the head and start from the back and go in the front. It usually comes at the end of the day. Our goal as a chiropractor is to increase and restore proper mechanics in your neck to then allow all the tension in the muscles to release. So the frequency of the headaches diminishes dramatically. Obviously if you are allergic to read wine or cheese or you headache is linked to your cycle, we will not be able to help with these ones. The thing to remember is that many headaches are linked to the neck. Don't just blame stress! Stress causes muscle tension and the cycle starts up again....

So my patient had headaches everyday. He is a representative for a company and therefore drives a lot. He had al ot of pain in his neck. The headaches would go up from the neck to the head. He used to take many advil per week. So after a full examination, I diagnosed cervicogenic headache. Now after treating his upper back and neck for 6 visits his headaches have disappeared. He had not had headache in over 2 weeks and feels that even if he drives a lot for work he is not as tight in the shoulder area.

Imagine the life changing event that just happened. You go from having a headache everyday to almost none!!!

Valerie

Le retour des menstruations et l'allaitement

2010-07-06T11:18:00.003-04:00

Bonjour à tous

Aujourd'hui, je vais faire mon blog en français pour essayer d'équilibrer un peu entre les deux langues!! Je voulais vous parler d'une situation qui c'est produite la semaine passée suite à un appel d'une de mes patientes. La maman m'a téléphoné parce que ses menstruations étaient revenues après 7 mois suivant l'accouchement et soudainement sa production de lait avait chuté et le bébé semblait très insatisfait et frustré. Ce phénomène est assez courant avec le changement hormonal qui se produit suivant le retour des menstruations. Le retour des menstruations dépend du nombre de tétées, de l'introduction des solides si le bébé fait ses nuits...etc. Ce qui est important de se souvenir est que si les menstruations sont de retour la maman a retrouvé sa fertilité!! Prochain sujet fertilité et allaitement!

Ce qui peut se produire suite au retour des menstruations est que la production semble diminuer durant quelques jours. Aussi le goût du lait peut changer légèrement. Parfois les bébés ne voudront pas boire aussi fréquemment à cause du goût. Mais au niveau nutritionnel, rien ne change. Le lait est aussi nutritif pour le bébé. Pour la production, les bébés semblent pouvoir compenser et demandent plus le sein durant cette période là. Voilà l'importance de ne pas restreindre le nombre de fois que le bébé va au sein par jour. Si la production ne semble pas vouloir redémarrer, des herbes peuvent aussi être utilisées, mais consulter la consultante en lactation pour plus de détails.

Pour ma patiente, tout c'est bien terminé. Nous avons reparti la production avec des herbes et avons remis le bébé au sein plus souvent pour stimuler la production. J'ai eu la confirmation que les choses étaient rentrées dans l'ordre et que maman et bébé étaient contents de nouveau!!!

à la prochaine

Valerie

Another successful Webster technique!

2010-06-29T09:56:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone

I was very excited last night when I got an email from a patient so I thought I would share the story. You are probably wondering why? This mom was referred by a friend doula because the baby was in a transverse position. Most of you may not know but in chiropractic we have a technique that helps turn babies that are in the wrong position for delivery called the webster technique. We never force or touch the baby. The basic principle is to rebalance the pelvis of the mother trough a chiropractic adjustment and then release a ligament in the front of the uterus. This will usually allow the baby to have more room and if it is not restrained in the wrong position by anything anatomical it will decide to go head down. I was certified as a webster practitioner in 2005 but had been doing the technique for a while.

So I treated this patient 3 times last week and after the last few treatments she did notice a lot of motion which is usually a good sign. She then went for an ultrasound on monday and the verdict came in that the baby was head down. So mom is happy no c-section planned and she can have a vaginal birth. I am always pleased to help moms with that technique because it does change everything for them for the postpartum recovery. Of all the patients I have treated I have to say that the success rate is quite high.

If you would like to have more information on the webster technique I direct you to the ICPA website which is full of great information. http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Articles/the-webster-technique-a-technique-for-pregnant-women.html

This is always a good start to my week....
talk soon
valerie

Latch is key!!!

2010-06-27T20:16:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

The week end is almost over and tomorrow I am heading to the breastfeeding clinic. I wanted to talk briefly about the subject of latch. So many issues stem from a bad latch. Some research actually says that 80% of problems in nursing are related to a bad latch. When I help moms, the first thing we always do is to look and correct the latch. Also remember that if you are experiencing pain during nursing there is something wrong. It should NOT HURT!!!. When nurses tell you the latch looks good but you are still in pain then you must do something. It is not normal. A few simple tricks to remember is to point the nipple towards the nose so that the baby has to reach up and open his mouth very wide. Remember that the baby's neck also needs to be in extension or looking up. It will be a lot easier for the baby to move his tongue down and swallow as well.

Another thing that we seem to have forgotten is that babies are programmed in their brain to nurse and to latch well. At the clinic and what I use a lot in my practice is called self latching. We place the baby in an upright position between the breasts of the mother and we do not touch the head or force the baby on the breast. The baby will then move around and find the breast by himself and attach in a much better position with a wide mouth. A great web site you can visit for more information on that is http://breastcrawl.org/ I encourage you guys to view that video and to see how amazing this little baby is.

Don't forget latch is key if you are still having problems call someone to help you so you can evaluate if there is a reason why the baby can't latch well.

talk soon

valerie

Why did I choose chiropractic?

2010-06-25T14:06:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone

Many people are curious to know how I became interested in chiropractic. I always like to tell this story. Chiropractic has been a part of my whole life. My family used to go see a chiropractor regularly. It actually started with my father. When he was quite young, he had decided to jump off a barn and he ended up falling straight down on a fence. After he had all sorts of health issue. My grandmother finally heard about this doctor who had helped a lot of people and he was a chiropractor. So she took him in and he helped my father tremendously. After he always continued to see him and when my parents got married, he introduced chiropractic to my mother. When she had me the rumour was that I was very colicky so she decided to take me to see this doctor. She said she loved it because after the treatment I slept so well! We then continued to visit them whenever we were sick or not feeling well our whole life. When I was 14 years old, we saw a new chiropractor. She was a women and it just clicked for me. I realized that may be that would be a great job for me. I love helping people, there was science, you treated with your hands to help the patients. So there it is at 14 years old I said I was going to be a chiropractor and the rest is history. I did all the necessary pre-requisite to go to Toronto at the Canadian Chiropractic College. I graduated in 1998 and have loved every minute since then. It is so special to help people get out of pain with natural intervention and no drugs.

So briefly this is how and why I became a chiropractor......

Valerie

Sleep posture

2010-06-22T09:36:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone

Today I wanted to talk about sleep posture. We spend so much time sleeping in our life that it can have a huge impact on how you feel. People always ask me which posture is best. The easiest thing to answer I find is to tell patient which one to avoid.

The worst position is stomach sleeping. Stomach sleeping as been associated with upper back pain and headaches. When I do my history, I always question which position people sleep in. If they have major headaches symptoms most of the time I can predict that they are stomach sleepers. When you are on your stomach it changes all the curves in your neck and upper back and affects all the muscles and joints in the neck.

So patient should either sleep on their side or back. If you are on your side make sure your pillow covers the distance between your shoulder and your neck when your neck stays straight. On your back the best thing is to bring your knees up if you are experiencing some low back pain and make sure In your neck your pillow gives you god support. You want to ensure your head is not lifted too high or too low. The basic principle is to keep your spine in a neutral position.

So next time you go to bed AVOID YOUR STOMACH. You can also get someone to look at your sleep posture and see if it is in a neutral position. If you have been a long time stomach sleeper you should consider care for your spine.

Talk soon

valerie

Ice or heat !!!

2010-06-18T09:33:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone

Today I want to talk about when to put ice or heat !!!! This is a topic that comes up everyday in my clinic. Some people swear by heat and others by ice but what to put and when?

The basic principal to remember is that for acute injuries everywhere on the body ICE should be applied. Patients always know to put ice on a knee or a twisted ankle but when it comes to the back or neck for some reason people think of heat. I like to explain to patients that the principal is the same whether it is an ankle or the back. When you just injured yourself your body will have an immediate reaction which is called inflammation. The goal right away is to try and reduce that inflammation. Ice is the best natural anti-inflammatory you can find and the best thing is that it is cheap! You can use a bag of frozen peas and apply it for no more then 15 minutes or so at a time. You do not want to freeze the area because then your body will react oppositely and send more blood to the area and the inflammation will then increase. So the principal is 10-15 minutes on and 10-15 minutes off. Ice is definitely the best thing to reduce blood flow, swelling and PAIN to an injured area.

Heat can be applied to chronic injuries. You can use moist heat for 15-20 minutes. Some times a simple shower can help. Heat increases blood flow to the area and helps relaxing tight muscles or muscle spasms. Athletes will sometimes apply heat to a chronic injury prior to exercising or athletic event to relax their tight muscles.

Ice is definitely my best friend I always tell my patient when in doubt put ICE. You will at least reduce the swelling and start the healing process. So always keep ice in your freezer you never know when you will need it.

Until next time

Valerie

Tongue-tie babies and breastfeeding

2010-06-17T12:03:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone

I am very excited about launching this new blog. My goal is to inform you as much as possible. I love feedback and questions so feel free to write me back. I wanted to start talking about the lactation conference I attended last week. It is always refreshing to go and listen to great speaker. I always come out of these refreshed and ready to go back to the clinic and apply what I have learned. I had the pleasure of hearing Catherine Watson-Genna the tongue tie expert from New-York. So today the post will relate to breastfeeding. So what is a tongue tie. It is a little filament under the tongue that prevents it from moving well. For babies to breastfeed effectively they must be able to move their tongue well. They should be able to lift it all the way up to the roof of the mouth and move it side to side. If these motions are restricted then baby can not suck effectively and get milk. It may be quite sore to the mother as well. The best thing to do is to look under the tongue of your baby and if you see a little white line you may consider seeing a lactation consultant to determine if the tongue tie needs to be addressed. For certain moms it will save their breastfeeding!!! If in doubt call a lactation consultant for advice. You can find a list of lactation consultant on the website www.ibclc.qc.ca.

Hope this was informative until the next time

Valerie

My Office

2010-06-14T20:09:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to post my new office information. Even though we've been located in Kirkland for over a year now, here's all of the information you need to come visit me ...

My office hours are:
Tuesday 9:00 am.- 6:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Clinique Chiro-Santé Kirkland
3608 Boul St-Charles suite 1A
Kirkland, Qc H9H 3C3
(514) 694-7111
map & directions

For breastfeeding consultation please contact me at
514-244-0100. Consultation is available at my office.

You may also e-mail me anytime at info@chirofamilial.com

At the Clinic Chiro-Santé Kirkland, our goal is to make each and every patient feel as comfortable and as relaxed as possible so that the healing process may begin. We are also equipped and organized to handle any CSST or SAAQ cases. Simply call to make an appointment.