Have headaches? Synergy Wellness can help!

Dr. Laura Vanloon and Synergy Wellness of Birmingham, MI truly care and are grateful to be a portal of health and wellness information. For more information about Dr. Vanloon or her practice, visit us on the web at www.drvanloon.com!

Have you (or anyone you love) ever had a headache? Silly question, I know; it is estimated that almost all Americans have suffered from at least an occasional headache, with one study suggesting that 28 million suffer from regular migraine headaches. Is this normal? Is this acceptable? Sadly, too many people consider headaches to be a part of life. I know, because I used to be one of those people.

As a patient, as a chiropractic student and as a chiropractor, I still suffered from consistent migraines. I had headaches most days, in varying degrees of intensity. There were even periods of my life that I had a headache for an entire month. I was prescribed every medication you can think of; I've tried every over the counter palliative measure available; I was open to every homeopathic remedy anyone mentioned. At my best stretch, I was able to make 6 weeks without a migraine. I even had an MRI and a carotid artery ultrasound, both of which diagnosed no structural cause for the headaches. I also thought I had run the gamut of available chiropractic and alternative techniques, including: Diversified, Gonstead, Activator, Cranial-Release Therapy, BEST, DNFT, Toggle, Thompson drop, trigger point therapy, manual cervical spine traction and Reiki, all of which offered me limited or no relief. This was especially frustrating because I am a chiropractor, and I had many patients who sought my help for their own headaches. However, like many others, I had come to view headaches as a part of life. That is, until I found KST.

My positive experience with chiropractic as a teenager had inspired me to go to school to become a chiropractor; it had relieved chronic mid-back pain I was suffering with, plus many other incredibly life-enhancing benefits. However, headaches are NOT normal. They shouldn't be viewed as a part of daily life. Taking ibuprofen every day should not be a part of your wellness routine. However, that is what traditional medicine would have you believe ~ that taking a drug every day is the best strategy for your headaches. I'm here to tell you, there is hope for chronic headache sufferers! The pain you have isn't because your body is deficient in aspirin or acetaminophen; the pain can be caused by a subluxation within your nervous system. A subluxation is any disturbance to the energy that flows through your nervous system, commonly caused by a bone being slightly out of place within your spine. The wonderful fact is, correcting those misalignments is exactly what a chiropractor specializes in!

In practice, I use a technique called KST, the Koren Specific Technique. It is very gentle to the patient and incredibly specific. I use a tool to administer the adjustment, which means that there's no cracking, twisting or popping! The best part about the technique I use is the results ~ I find that my patients hold a KST chiropractic adjustment longer than a traditional adjustment. As for my own results with this technique, they are outstanding ~ I have been migraine-free for three years!

Try KST chiropractic ~ it just may be the best adjustment of your life!

Health and happiness,
Dr. Laura Vanloon

**This article is not intended to replace medical attention. Please consult your chiropractic physician or a qualified medical professional before discontinuing any medication or changing a prescribed treatment plan.

Can chiropractic help ear infections?

Dr. Laura Vanloon and Synergy Wellness of Birmingham, MI truly care and are grateful to be a portal of health and wellness information. For more information about Dr. Vanloon or her practice, visit us on the web at www.drvanloon.com!

How many children do you know that have NEVER had an ear infection?

Let me ask you an easier question ~ how many children do you know who HAVE had an ear infection? Or multiple ear infections? Sadly, that is the norm now for babies and children to have to visit to their pediatrician for treatment. In fact, ear infections (also known as Otitis Media) account for approximately 1/3 of all pediatric visits. The cause of the recurrent ear infections is variable, from birth trauma to being associated with the drop in immunity you experience after having a cold or flu, and many things in between.

The most common go-to defense for an ear infection is, of course, antibiotics. Let's think for a moment about how effective that treatment is. After taking antibiotics, does that protect the child from getting another ear infection? No. Not only does it not prevent future recurrences, but it wipes out the "good" bacteria that is necessary for our system to function optimally, but overuse of antibiotics has several negative side effects. Namely, the child may have or develop an allergy to that particular medication. Second, taking antibiotics frequently allows development of "super bacteria" that are able to resist normal types and quantities of antibiotics. Third, and I believe most important, studies indicate that most children have the same outcome from the ear infection without taking an antibiotic at all. Unfortunately, that research isn't well-known and many parents still seek traditional medical intervention.

But fortunately, I do have an alternative, less-intrusive and pain-free way to help your child heal from an ear infection and possibly prevent them from recurring ~ get your child adjusted by a chiropractor! How can chiropractic help? By removing the misalignments to the bones that are interfering with the nerves that supply the ear, it can allow your body to heal itself. When the nerves are functioning optimally, the fluid should drain from the middle ear. With regular chiropractic care to help keep your child's spine in alignment, your immune system can strengthen its own defenses and be more capable of fighting off subsequent infections.

Does someone you love suffer from ear infections? Let us help! We offer very gentle chiropractic treatment in our office that children LOVE! The adjustments are pain-free and they will feel so much better ~ many of the children in our practice tell their parents when they need an adjustment! Come experience Synergy Wellness in Birmingham today.

Health and happiness,
Dr. Laura Vanloon

**This article does not substitute for medical advice. Please consult your chiropractor or medical professional of choice to help decide the best course of care for yourself or your child.