What Is Pediatric Chiropractic Care?
Usually, when people think of chiropractic care, they think of adults with bad backs or workplace injuries going for treatment. The truth is, chiropractic care, like most other forms of healthcare, works best when it is preventative. The earlier it begins, the more benefits a person will reap.
No one can benefit from routine chiropractic care more than a child with a growing body. Here are some common health issues children may experience that may be helped by pediatric upper cervical care.
Corrects Birth Traumas
If you think for a minute about how most children are brought into this world head-first, it shouldn't come as a surprise that there may be micro or macro-traumas of the spine during delivery. Any vertebrae that are out of place can put pressure on nerves, disrupting signals or causing misfires. Since nerves are the way the brain communicates with the body's major systems to keep them functioning, compression of a nerve can cause some serious problems.
Many common problems babies suffer from, such as colic, reflux, or breastfeeding difficulties, may stem from misalignments of the upper cervical spine. Early misalignments can also have an impact on the development of the musculoskeletal system, causing problems such as scoliosis.
Alleviates Aches and Pains
Poor posture has always been an issue; parents and other adults have been telling children to sit up straight for ages. Unfortunately, modern society has exacerbated the poor posture epidemic. When using electronic devices, children tend to thrust their heads forward and hold their heads down for long periods, putting undue stress on the vertebrae.
Because of this, even young children are experiencing aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, and back. Pains can make children cranky and discourage them from physical activity.
Improves Sleep
Aches and pains can also have an impact on sleep. Tight or stiff muscles, joint stiffness, joint pain, neck aches, and tension headaches can all get worse at night. Aches and pains disrupt sleep, leaving children fatigued and irritable throughout the day. This can interfere with success in school or their desire to engage in productive activities.
Helps Brain Development
The upper cervical spine begins at the base of the skull, near where the brainstem connects to the spinal cord. Misalignments of the vertebrae may cause swelling that compresses nerves or may cause nerves to become pinched. Nerve compression and damage can disrupt the flow of nerve signals and lead to various neurological conditions such as migraines, vertigo, epilepsy, or muscular dystrophy.
Strengthens the Immune System
Misalignments of the upper cervical spine can cause problems with the immune system due to disrupted nerve signals. Everything from headaches, sinus infections, ear infections, and digestive issues can be rooted in misalignments of the spine.
How Our Pediatric Chiropractic Care Works
Chiropractic care helps restore the proper alignment of the spine, reducing inflammation and swelling, allowing nerve signals to flow, and alleviating stress and pressure on muscles, ligaments, and joints. Chiropractic care is a safe, drug-free, non-invasive way to promote overall health and wellness, keeping the body's systems functioning optimally.
Traditional chiropractic techniques, with jarring snaps, twists, and cracks, may be worrying to parents and scary to young children. That's why the Blair Chiropractic Technique is ideal for treating even young children. Blair practitioners use a light, barely noticeable touch and make the most of modern technology to help restore health to the spine.
Dr. Gordon Elder of the Blair Chiropractic Clinic in Lubbock, Texas is a specialist in the Blair technique. Dr. Elder has a three-step plan for upper cervical care.
The first step involves a health screening, which includes advanced 3D imaging diagnostic technology to help assess the spine and pinpoint problems. This eliminates the guesswork and allows the doctor to use a much gentler touch in making more precise adjustments.
The second step is the healing process, in which the doctor makes the corrections with minimal pressure. Once the spine is properly aligned, the body's systems and natural healing processes can function optimally to restore and retain the child's overall health.
The third step involves regular chiropractic check-ups to nip problems in the bud and ensure the spine remains in a healthy, aligned state. This allows the child's body to develop as it should into adulthood, avoiding many common injuries and ailments.
Contact Dr. Elder to see how he can help your child's health through pediatric chiropractic care. Dr. Elder's area of coverage includes Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, and El Paso in Texas, as well as Hobbs in New Mexico.
Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.