Bolt Chiropractic

From his years of experience, Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, knows that second only to spinal problems, knee pain and disability is one of the most frequent ailments of the musculoskeletal system. What causes this common problem? Often, insufficient mechanics of the knee, as well as impaired foot mechanics as the result of foot pain frequently cause painful knee conditions. Additional causes generally include overuse of the knee joint, ailments as the result of arthritic changes in the joint, and traumatic injury from sports and falls.

Non-trauma knee problems: Deficient mechanics of the knee joint and the corresponding stress on the soft tissues of the knee are, by far, the most common cause of non-traumatic pain. The patella or knee-cap is generally the area affected because many times the patella does not move sufficiently on the femur during bending of the knee generating abnormal stress on the tendons, cartilage and ligaments. This specific condition is normally called chondromalacia patella (CMP) or Patella Femoral Syndrome (Knee Cap Pain). This dysfunction is due to imbalances in the quadriceps muscles of the thigh that join to and move the patella. Imbalances in the muscles having to do with knee movement commonly originate from lower back ailments, particularly in the sacroiliac joint. Pain and dysfunction can also be caused by imbalances in the muscle groups that attach to the knee. For example, the muscles on the inside of the thigh, when strained and tight, can produce pain on the medial or inside of the knee.   Mechanical knee pain is also produced by gait deviations such as pronation.

The correspondent pain from overuse is most often experienced during activity, particularly stair climbing, running, jumping, and after rising after prolonged sitting. Many women appear to be predisposed to painful overuse conditions for anatomical reasons, however such conditions are many times due to wearing high heels on a regular basis.

The main treatment for mechanical or overuse injuries to the knee is to re-establish proper balance of the muscles, restore proper movement to the patella and other joints of the knee, and to correct any subluxations of the sacroiliac joints and bones of the foot.  In specific cases, a brace is adopted to assist with the adjustment of the patella or to secure the joint. Chiropractors, such as Dr. Bolt, are ideally trained to administer the correct diagnosis and care of these ailments.

Knee problems due to trauma: Traumatic injuries frequently occur during activities that involve running and jumping, such as football, basketball, and skiing. When the knee is extended or contorted beyond the capability of the ligaments that hold the joint together, tearing of these tissues can take place creating a sprain. Strains to muscles that give motion to the knee can arise when the muscles are torn during injury. As with a sprain, a muscle strain can range from a minor injury that requires little attention to a extreme injury necessitating surgery. Furthermore the two special knee “cartilages” located between the tibia and femur (called the menisci), which provide for fluid motion and cushioning, may also be torn during traumatic injury. This serious injury commonly requires surgical repair, or even removal if damaged severely.

Traumatic knee injuries can create serious pain and swelling and need prompt diagnosis and care. In most instances a competent chiropractor, such as Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, can manage these conditions, although there are some injuries that may necessitate the skills of an orthopedic surgeon. Nevertheless, it is crucial to stabilize the injured joint as soon as possible and to use ice on the injured area, if possible, until the injury can be examined.

Conditions such as poor mechanics and problems due to overuse, as well as traumatic injuries, need to be corrected at an early stage. Otherwise, the tissues of the knee joint, especially the cartilage, will start to erode. If tissue and cartilage erode, the bones will rub together unprotected and changes such as bone spurs can occur. This painful condition, known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis, is frequently progressive with age.  Conservative treatment, such as chiropractic, can be extremely helpful in relieving the pain. Many individuals can additionally help themselves by keeping their weight down, doing exercises (especially in the pool), and wearing cushioned shoes or insoles.

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Dr. Donald Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, is interested in your complete wellness, and he is convinced that a balanced lifestyle is the key to good health and longevity. He explains: Just the other day I saw an article on sciencedaily.com how caffeine improved memory loss in aged mice raised to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The article started with the angle that “Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup.” It went on to report on back-to-back studies published online July 6 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that demonstrated that caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

But, before you decide to add an extra cup of coffee to your morning routine, let me add that also on the website, under “Related Stories,” were a couple of articles reporting on studies that demonstrated the negative effects of caffeine, “Morning Jolt of Caffeine May Mask Serious Sleep Problems,” and “Coffee Consumption Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Attack For Persons With Certain Gene Variation.”

It seems to me that there are more than likely studies that will affirm, or at least bolster, any angle of thought, particularly when it has to do with age-related health issues. The “yin-yang” of caffeine benefits-deficits naturally aren’t, of course, the only ones. But, it did get me to thinking about the likelihood that there will not ever be just “one thing” that will with absolute certainty aid we, humans, in living longer, healthier lives. We are dynamic, biological creatures. We aren’t raised in unnatural confinement We are free to engage in life. And, furthermore, though Alzheimer’s disease apparently is on the rise, obviously none of us has been “bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” so caffeine isn’t entirely the “one thing” that will prevent or reverse it.

The human body is an exquisite, complex system that is based on homeostasis, i.e, balance. Consequently good health has more to do with a healthy, balanced approach to living, instead of our jumping on the bandwagon of the latest health study and “doing” or “overdoing” one specific thing under the illusion that it will reverse all of the other over-indulgent and unhealthy things we do to our bodies.

I believe, as a doctor of chiropractic, and specifically as your Oxnard Chiropractor, that every single day we have an opportunity to make decisions that will assist us to live longer, healthier lives, healthy choices for our body and mind. We know what genuinely “feels” beneficial and what doesn’t when it comes to what is good for our body. So, the next time you reach for that extra cup of coffee or that second glass of red wine, I hope that you’ll think about this. Neither one of those things is the “one thing” that will do “everything” for your age-related health issues.

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Your Oxnard Chiropractor, Dr. Donald Bolt, is well-aware that a sedentary lifestyle, especially enforced by foot pain, can only lead to more health problems. Why? Because movement is good for the whole body. From your head to your toes, your good health is determined by how much physical activity you get on a regular basis.

So, why do so many people suffer from aches and pains in their feet? After all, aren’t our feet made for walking? Yes, but they weren’t designed for abuse. The average, healthy person takes 3,000-5,000 steps each day, not including activities such as running and aerobic exercise. But, often those steps are made by people walking incorrectly, with poor gait patterns and bad posture. In addition, a large number of people wear badly-designed, poorly-fitting shoes.

Moving the body through space incorrectly on feet that are inhibited from functioning correctly cannot help but to cause aches and pains not only in a number of places in our feet, but in other parts of our body. For example, if an individual over-pronates (walks like a duck) in a pair of poorly made or unevenly-worn shoes, or in a pair of high heels, that person is not only likely to develop foot and ankle problems, but will probably experience problems of the back, knees and legs.

One of the most well known foot problems is Plantar Fascitis (heel pain), which is usually caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a wonderful, multi-tasking band of connective tissue that encircles the muscles on the bottom of the foot, adheres the heel bone to the ball of the foot, supports the arch, protects the foot, and absorbs shock.

There are many factors that contribute to the development of Plantar Fascitis. One such factor is short and tight calf muscles. When calf muscles get short and tight they exert a strong pull on the back of the heel bone, producing undue stress on the smaller and weaker plantar muscles and fascia. How do calf muscles get short and tight? In addition to running and jumping activities such as aerobics, volleyball, running, basketball, and tennis, the wearing of high heels can cause the problem.

Other factors that contribute to Plantar Fascitis include sudden strenuous activity after a period of prolonged inactivity, abnormal walking patterns (such as over-pronation), improper footwear, walking on hard or uneven surfaces (especially barefooted), and obesity.

Once an individual develops Plantar Fascitis, the condition is frequently not easy to manage and can become intensely painful and persistent. If you are suffering from heel pain, Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, will be able to determine the cause of your problem and what chiropractic management is best suited. Such care might include ultrasound therapy, laser, joint manipulation, muscle stretching and strengthening exercises, special taping and, in some cases, orthotics.

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Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, knows that it might surprise you to know that chiropractic adjustments can help your asthma symptoms.  Finding out as much as you can about alternative treatment for asthma and getting the kind of help you need is extremely important. A greater number of Americans than ever before say they are suffering from asthma. It is one of this country’s most prevalent and costly diseases. In fact, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, each day 40,000 people are absent from school or work because of asthma; 30,000 people undergo an asthma attack; 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma;1,000 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma; and, 11 people die from asthma.

Allergens or irritants that are breathe into the lungs, and result in inflammation that clogs and constricts airways, are most often the cause of asthma symptoms. Symptoms include laborious breathing, wheezing, coughing, and constriction in the chest. In severe cases, asthma can be deadly. Pharmaceuticals may temporarily decrease the symptoms of asthma, but there is no medical cure.

Despite the fact that chiropractic is not a treatment for asthma, per se, current research published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research documented the results experienced by 81 children with asthma who were given chiropractic adjustments. The two-month study reported that those under care experienced a 45% decrease in the number of “attacks” and that 31% of the subjects voluntarily decided to decrease their medication.

You are probably wondering how an adjustment of the spine affect respiration, and just what technique a chiropractor uses to reduce the persistence and severity of asthma attacks.  Chiropractic adjustments remove nervous system interference. Almost all of nerves that are in charge of bodily functions exit between the spinal vertebrae and continue to their destination. This includes those nerves that affect the respiratory system. If restricted, nerves that are in charge of the diaphragm can have a profound effect on how beneficially the respiratory system functions. It isn’t inexplicable, then, why so many men, women and children receiving chiropractic adjustments report augmented breathing and an abatement in their asthmatic symptoms.

Chiropractic may be beneficial for you, or someone you love, who has asthma, if it is generated by, or aggravated due to spinal subluxation. Call Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, today, to find out if chiropractic adjustments can help you to breathe a little easier.

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Your Oxnard Chiropractor, Dr. Donald Bolt, knows that neck pain is serious business. If you sit for extended periods at a computer, you may be experiencing neck pain, and upper and lower back pain back pain as well, symptoms that may also radiate down one or both of your arms generating additional pain, pins and needles, or numbness. Neck pain and shoulder pain are, in fact, the most common upper-extremity musculoskeletal problems among computer users. In a 2002 study tracking 632 computer users newly hired at major Atlanta companies, Dr. Fredric E. Gerr, an occupational medicine physician and ergonomics investigator at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues observed that roughly 60 percent developed neck or shoulder pain in the first year, though the study did not track how long symptoms persisted.

Younger generations growing up in the digital age are also joining the ranks of the “typing wounded.” Surveys at two universities found that 40 to 50 percent of undergraduates experienced upper-extremity pain from using their computers. Colleges do not build dormitory furniture to be ergonomically adjustable, said Dr. Benjamin Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, who was a co-author of those studies. “They build it to be indestructible.”

In addition to repetitive stress problems, sitting at your computer too long places your upper back in a sustained, stressful posture, especially if you tend to lean forward when you’re working. This also puts your neck at an unnatural and strained angle. Lower back pain, in addition to being generated by simply sitting for long periods of time without getting up and moving around, is aggravated by bad posture.

Problems caused by extended computer use can not only lead to an inability to perform your work duties, but can keep you from enjoying the rest of your life, too. Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, can assist in eliminating the neck pain, and/or upper and lower back pain that you are currently experiencing. After that, it is important for you to become mindful of your body as you sit at your computer, and to give your body what it naturally needs. You can cultivate the habit of both sitting straight in your chair (as opposed to slouching) and relaxing your shoulders. This will help to relieve tension in your lower and upper back and neck. Take time to stretch periodically to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy blood flow. If your work station permits, sitting on an exercise ball can not only aide in keeping you in a beneficial posture, but can help to strengthen your core muscles as well. (Make sure that the ball is the right size so that when you are seated on it your arms are at a ninety-degree angle to your keyboard.)

Dr. Bolt offers these tips: Good posture for ease of movement, variety in the motions that you do, and short breaks to relax and stretch will go a long way in keeping your computer work (or play) pain-free.

Partial source: The New York Times, health Review, June 22, 2009

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Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, want you to know that exercise has many health benefits, and he offers this warning:
“If you don’t move it, you’ll lose it!” Here’s why: Chiropractors, like Dr. Bolt, agree that “motion is life.” We, humans, were designed to walk, to run, to dance, and to move all the muscles of our body for our entire lifespan. So, naturally, it follows that we either “move it or lose it!” Our aging “Baby Boomer” population is discovering just how true this cautionary advice is when it comes to energy, vitality, mobility, and good health in later years. With every year of our life, we have much to gain from being physically active…and plenty to lose by living an immobile or sedentary lifestyle.

As our age-related risks of chronic disease increase, regular physical activity can actually slow down the trend. In addition, research has shown that people who have already developed coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Type 2 diabetes, and other age-related chronic diseases can benefit substantially by increasing their physical activity and, therefore, often can manage their chronic illness with fewer medicines.

Furthermore, some studies suggest that the cardiovascular benefits an individual gets from physical activity may also help the brain stay healthy. “Physical activity influences the frontal region of the brain,” says Dr. Bradley Hatfield, professor of Sports Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. So, if you’ve been wondering what the best thing is that you can do to keep your brain young, the answer may be for you to take a long walk. A key factor is that exercise thickens the brain tissue and builds more synapses in the brain.  The brain has 10 billion nerve cells, called neurons, and on average, neurons are connected to each other through 10,000 synapses.  Every time we exercise, more synapses form and the active brain gets stronger.

On a regular basis, being physically active increases the quality of life (period). Some of the benefits include improved energy levels, mental sharpness, balance, strength, flexibility, and weight control. Moreover, regular aerobic exericise has been shown to help in the management of depression, anxiety, and stress.

So, even though the facts point conclusively to the validity of the “move it or lose it!” warning, they also confirm that it is never to late for you to “move it” and regain your health. Call Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard. He’s all about mobility!

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Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, has some suggestions on how you can avoid injury while getting healthy exercise: You may have read on this website, or elsewhere, about recent studies that have shown that physical activity is requisite to getting and staying healthy, especially as we age. But, if you’ve been inactive for awhile, even the idea of exercise might seem “exhausting.” The best way, then, to approach this much-needed addition to your lifestyle is, literally and figuratively, to do it one step at a time. A smart “first step” is to see a health care professional, like your chiropractor, for a full physical examination. Once it is confirmed that you won’t make matters worse through movement, then the next step is simply to start moving a bit each day.

Any movement is a step towards better health and physical fitness. Walk a lap (or two) around your house or apartment. Put that TV remote away and get up to change the channels. As your body becomes accustomed to moving again, you will probably discover that you actually want to move more. Then you can slowly add additional movement to your daily routine. Increase the walk around your house to a walk around the block, a walk in the park, or even a walk through the shopping mall. Walking with a friend can often help to keep you on track(especially on those days when you’d rather sit and veg, then get your body moving). If you are physically able, take the stairs instead of using the elevator as often as you can. Park farther away from the entrance to the supermarket and make it a goal to put more and more parking spots between you and the entrance.

After a few weeks of regular physical activity, you will begin to feel the healthful benefits of movement. Then you’ll be ready for new ways to build flexibility, fitness, and muscle strength. Your Chiropractor in Oxnard, Dr. Bolt, is happy to assist you in becoming more physically active and he’ll help you to development an individualized program.

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Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, wants you to know about a recent survey on back pain and patient satisfaction he found “highly satisfying.” A recent Consumer Reports survey included 14,000 Consumer Reports subscribers, found that “hands-on” therapies, led by chiropractic care, were the top-rated treatments for people suffering from back pain. In fact, chiropractors were given the highest “satisfaction with care” ratings, well above those given to medical doctors who administered various forms of care to back pain sufferers

The survey, reported in the publication’s May 2009 issue, found that more than half of the respondents had “pain (that) severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer, and 88 percent said it recurred throughout the year.” The report stated that while many go to a primary care physician first for diagnosis and treatment, the majority were disappointed with the results.

On the other hand, 59 percent reported that they were “highly satisfied” with the care they received from chiropractors. The next highest rated practitioners were physical therapists (55 percent) and acupuncturists (53 percent), followed by “specialized” physicians (44 percent) and primary care physicians (34 percent).

Respondents were also asked to rate the types of treatments they received. Again, chiropractic/spinal manipulation got top honors, with 58 percent rating it as “helping a lot.” Spinal injections were next highest, rated at 51 percent, followed by massage (48 percent) and physical therapy (46 percent). Other highly rated treatments included prescription medications (45 percent), yoga (44 percent), movement therapy and acupuncture (both 41 percent).

According to a Dynamic Chiropractic article on that report, “Chiropractic ranked first out of 11 treatments, including massage, acupuncture, and exercise, in its ability to treat back pain. More readers said that chiropractic ‘helped me feel much better’ than any of the other therapies.” Prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs ranked eighth and 10th, respectively.

So, if you’ve been “highly satisfied” with your chiropractic care, you’re not alone! In fact, more and more people are turning to chiropractic treatment not only for back pain relief, but for a wide variety of painful conditions from sports and repetitive stress injuries to arthritis. And, if you’ve never tried chiropractic, give Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, a call today and find out what you’ve been missing!

A public version of the report can be found on the Consumer Reports Web site

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Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, wants you to know about the connection between your cell phone,  repetitive stress injury, and elbow pain.  We all know how “irritating” it can be when someone is talking loudly on a cell phone (as long as that person isn’t us!). Honestly, doesn’t it seem as if you can’t even take a quiet walk along the beach or in the park without someone walking by shouting into their cell phone? You could say, in fact, that nowadays the excessive use of cell phones has become a pain in our psyche. Well, the detrimental effects of excessive cell phone use apparently doesn’t stop with “pain in the brain.” A new report outlines the prevalence of “cell phone elbow,” an affliction in which users experience pain and numbness in their elbow due to extensive cell phone use. The idea is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome and the effect on the muscles and tendons concerned is essentially the same except a different nerve is pinched. Instead of being located in the wrist, cell phone elbow (“cubital tunnel syndrome”) cell phone elbow originates in the elbow region and results in pain or numbness in forearms, as well as tingling in pinkie and ring fingers. According to a study from the Cleveland Clinic, doctors are seeing more and more individuals experiencing these symptoms.

What exactly produces the problem? Holding a cell phone to the ear causes the elbow to bend, thereby stretching the nerve between muscles and tendons. When the arm is bent for long periods of time, the nerve gets inflamed. “Repetitive, sustained stretching of the nerve is like stepping on a garden hose,” said Dr. Peter J. Evans, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Hand and Upper Extremity Center. “With the hose, you’re blocking the flow of water. With the elbow, you’re blocking the blood flow to the nerve, which causes it to misfire and short circuit.” The first symptom of cell phone elbow is usually pain just below the elbow in the forearm. This is usually followed by the sensation of pins and needles in the pinkie and ring finger. In the most severe case those fingers can curl up and become difficult to use.

The good news is that the condition is easily preventable and treatable. Users are simply encouraged to avoid holding their phone in one position for too long in order to reduce the amount of strain on the affected muscles. For those who are already feeling strain, it is advisable to do simple stretches in order to help prevent some of the damage.

Your Chiropractor in Oxnard also offers this suggestion: A quiet walk in the park or along the beach with your cell phone turned off or, better yet, left behind, would not only go along way in reducing cell phone elbow, but it might do a lot to improve the health of your psyche as well!

This study was published in the May issue of the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.

Technorati Tags: carpal tunnel syndrome, cell phone overuse, chiropractor, Cleveland Clinic, elbow pain, Where:Oxnard-CA

Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, knows from his many years as a doctor that your PMS symptoms are not just in your head. At one time or another, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) affects and estimated 90% of women and nearly 20% of those women afflicted experience severe to disabling symptoms. Suggesting to a woman that her PMS is “just in her head” can be not only just plain risky, it’s also just plain non-factual! There are physiological origins of PMS in most cases, including one that might surprise you — spinal misalignment. That’s right. Your back could actually be the culprit. Spinal subluxations, expressly in the lower back, can commonly generate a complex variety of female health conditions in addition to Premenstrual Syndrome, such as pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, incontinence, and even infertility.

How can chiropractic treatment help to relieve the symptoms of PMS? Chiropractic manipulations get rid of nerve restriction in your body. Your nervous system governs and regulates every cell, fiber, tissue, organ, and system in your body. This includes your reproductive system. If your reproductive system isn’t functioning properly as the result of nerve impedance, it can cause a variety of symptoms such as those connected with PMS. When your reproductive system is overactive, you might experience agitation, pain, heavy bleeding, or severe cramping. Missed periods or infertility can be caused by an under-activity reproductive system. On the positive side, if nerve disturbance is generating your PMS symptoms, then chiropractic treatment can assist because adjustments restore harmony and balance to your nervous system and, hence, assisting it in functioning more normally.

A larger number of women experience an improvement in their reproductive health, in conjunction with improved general health, while under chiropractic care. So, if you’ve been thinking that your PMS is just in head, think again! And, make an appointment to see Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, as soon as possible. Chiropractic care is  an all natural answer for PMS that could help you to avoid periodic misery, without medication, and keep you pain-free and energetic all month long.

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