Dr. Matthew Leibman and Kim Johnson, LBMT

Last Saturday, October 10, Matthews Chiropractic Center participated in the Lake Park Fall Festival in Indian Trail, NC.

People were curious about how chiropractic could help their neck pain, back pain, headaches, and other concerns. It was great to meet folks out on a lovely fall day and answer questions from our neighbors. Kim Johnson was on hand, offering massage, while I conversed on chiropractic.

Look for us again on November 2nd, from 9:00-11:00am, as Matthews Chiropractic Center takes part in a Community Health Fair at the Siskey YMCA in Matthews, NC.

If you have any questions about chiropractic care we’re always helpful at trying to find your answers and diagnose any problems you might have. Give us a call at 704-841-3833 or contact us today.

It seems like it’s hard these days to select a dish soap, hand soap or household cleaner that doesn’t tout anti-bacterial properties.  Check the active ingredients and you will likely find triclosan.  This compound is very useful for eliminating germs in hospitals, but many worry that widespread use will hamper its efficacy and contribute to further antibacterial resistance^[1].  For regular household use, antibiotics in these products are unnecessary.  Washing our hands with soap and water alone has been shown to remove dirt and germs alike and is supported by the Mayo Clinic^[2].

Overuse of Antibiotics Leads to Ineffectiveness

Of course, antibiotics have there place and can be invaluable in countering bacterial infections, but increasingly, they are losing their effectiveness.  Stronger and stronger medications are needed as patients and their doctors are faced with growing numbers of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.  Reasons for this problem include, but are not limited to, the unnecessary use of antibiotics in household products, antibiotic prescriptions for non-bacterial infections, and the use of antibiotics in food animals.  Repeated overuse of antibiotics selects for more virulent, drug-resistant strains of the organisms that we are trying to eliminate.

When you shop for hand soap, bath soap, hand lotions, dishwashing detergents, surface cleaners, toothbrushes, linens, towels, children’s toys and more, try to select items that are free of antibacterial agents (and possibly even environmentally friendly).  Sometimes it can be hard to find soaps, cleaners, and household goods untainted by antibacterial agents, but if you look carefully you can find them…

Know Your Food

Now, another place where you might not expect to find antibiotics is in your meat products.  Commercially raised chickens, pigs, cattle, dairy cows, and others contain antibiotics in their feed as part of their normal diet.  Buying locally raised meat and chicken at a local farmers’ market is a good way to avoid antibiotics, as well as, growth hormone and other fillers.  Visit the Matthews Community Farmers’ Market on North Trade Street, in Downtown Matthews, NC for fresh, locally produced free-range eggs, pastured pork, grass-fed beef, produce, and more.  Come shop with your neighbors, support the local community, and save antibiotics for treating bacterial infections.

1. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm [↩]
2. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407 [↩]

Image by Adria Richards

Very often after reviewing x-rays where I have identified and measured postural imbalances, patients will ask how these changes could have come about.  They are curious why a hip is higher on one side, curvature in the low back is exaggerated, or the head is held forward.  Time and again I tell patients that have no history of an accident or injury that the position of their spine is largely related to their posture.  Sometimes the possible cause of a patient’s postural distortion is elusive and other times the cause is right before our eyes.

4 Common Causes of Postural Problems:

1. Side carrying

One cause of postural distortion is due to weight being carried more on one side of the body.  Common occurrences are carrying children on the hip, schlepping heavy pocket books and frequent use of heavy duffle bags and briefcases.  My best advice in these instances is to lighten the load when possible (I understand that children only grow), haul items in a neutral posture with chest/back carriers, backpacks or rolling luggage.  And when you have no choice but to sling over a shoulder, alternate shoulders while toting and lay the strap over the opposite shoulder (across the chest).

2. FWIRP – Fat Wallet in Rear Pocket

Ever notice on a pair of men’s jeans that one of the back pockets is stretched out or the material bears a faded, rectangular pattern.  If sitting with FWIRP can change denim this way, what is doing to our spines?

Imagine sitting all day long with a brick under one side of your backside.  The unleveling causes torsion (twisting) of the pelvis and the spine to bend sideways so we can keep sitting upright, instead of leaning.  These changes all happen automatically, so we are not even conscious of the changes taking place.  Now, a brick is an exaggeration for most, but illustrates how a thick wallet in your back pocket can affect the body.  Especially for desk workers and long distance drivers, slimming your wallet and storing it in your front pocket is a good way to avoid FWIRP syndrome.

3. Sleep Posture

If you are a side-sleeper and not using a pillow or cushion between your knees at night, then you are likely contributing to pelvic torsion.  While side-sleeping, if your top knee and leg are not resting on their counterparts below, then the knee is rotating forward, pulling the hip and pelvis into a twisted position.  Eight hours every night (hopefully) and it is easy to see how one hip might find itself higher than the other.  If you sleep side-lying, consider keeping your hips aligned with a pillow between your knees.

4. High Heels

I would be remiss if I failed to address this phenomenon.  Wearing high heeled shoes, especially over 2 inches and worn throughout the day, has a clear effect on low back posture.  Heels cause the pelvis to tilt forward and a corresponding increase in the low back curvature.  Reduce the effects of these changes by wearing shorter heels (2 inches or less) for less time.

So, hopefully you aspire to better posture and can find a way to incorporate some of the recommendations above.  If you have tried some of my suggestions and are still uncomfortable, please call Matthews Chiropractic Center at 704.841.3833 to schedule a consultation and exam.  Better spinal health could be just a call away.

Office hours will be available on the following Saturdays:

August 1st and 22nd

September 12th and 26th

October 10th…

Please call to schedule a time from 9am until noon.

Matthews Chiropractic Center will be CLOSED Monday, August 10th and Friday, August 14th.  On Tuesday, August 11th, we will offer expanded hours in the afternoon/evening.  On Tuesday, August 11th, the office will be open 8am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm.

Stay tuned for updates…

With the summer upon us it’s a good time to review safety in the sun.  June was National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, but it’s never too late to start to protect your skin from the sun and its potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Though the skin is our largest organ, it is often overlooked when we consider keeping healthy.  Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and while skin cancers, particularly melanomas can be more aggressive, cancers of the skin are highly curable when detected early.  The most common forms of skin cancer rarely spread and can usually be treated successfully.  Still, the best medicine is prevention.

Protect Yourself from the Sun

Here are some quick tips for protecting yourself from the sun:

1. Seek shade, especially during midday hours (10am – 4pm) when the sun’s rays are strongest and the most potentially damaging.
2. Cover up with clothing instead of leaving skin exposed.
3. Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, nose, head (scalp), ears, and neck.
4. Grab sunglasses that wrap, providing the most coverage, and as close to 100%  UVA and UVB protection as possible.
5. Apply sunscreen early and often.  Remember that sunscreen should absorb before exposure, so plan ahead, especially before going swimming.  Read labels and aim for UVA and UVB protection.

For the best possible protection, combine some of the tips above.  Enjoy your sunny, summer activities and stay healthy.  For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.