How Come I Am in Pain?

Whether it’s back pain, or neck pain, or sciatica, or any other kind of pain, the one question that almost all of my patients ask is, “How did this pain happen?” Since I was usually not there when it occurred it is hard to give an exact answer. However, there are some things that might help explain how people can develop back conditions.

Without even being aware of it, people compensate for life’s stresses. They move, lift, sit, stand or even walk in ways to avoid more pain. When those stresses build up to the point beyond your ability to cope, then injuries seem to come out of nowhere.

The thing about stress is it can be sudden or cumulative and can be physical, emotional, mental or even chemical. But no matter the cause, your body reacts the same way to all of them.

This is why some people can be emotionally on edge for a long time and then when you ask them to pick up or carry something very light, their back can mysteriously “goes out.”

Chiropractors are very effective at helping you recover from the effects of all types of stress and making your body strong enough to deal with future issues. Here at The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ, we offer a wide range of treatments, from chiropractic adjustments to massage therapy.

If you would like to find out how chiropractic care can help you to deal with your stress, check us out at www.TheBackCareCenter.com or call us to make an appointment at 201-387-7463.

Have a great and healthy day!
Dr. David Schwartz,
The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ
For appointments, call 201-387-7463

Do massage therapy and chiropractic care work well together?

People ask me my opinion on massage and chiropractic as a combined therapy. I have to say I think they work perfectly together.

After all, a chiropractor’s job is to keep the skeletal system aligned through chiropractic adjustments and exercise. And a key part of massage therapy is re-teaching muscles their proper placement throughout the skeletal system.

So combining massage therapy with chiropractic care allows the muscles to be trained to “hold” the body properly. When we walk around unaligned, the muscles learn to “make do” and compensate for these misalignments. Just as chiropractic adjustments re-teach the body the proper alignment, massage teaches the muscles how to keep it there.

If you’d like to see just how the combination of massage therapy and chiropractic care work together, why not give the office a call and make an appointment? I believe that you will absolutely “feel” the difference in your health and well-being.

Alicia Brady, C.M.T.
Massage Therapist
The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ
For massage therapy appointments, call 201-387-7463

The Back Care Center of Dumont NJ will be closed Friday and Saturday, 2-10-12 to 2-11-12

As you all know, Dr. Schwartz is committed to staying on top of the latest trends and techniques in chiropractic care so we can continue to provide our patients with the best possible service.

Unfortunately, this means that Dr. Schwartz is at a training seminar this weekend and so the office will be closed today, Friday, 2/10/12 and Saturday, 2/11/12

See you Monday. And have a great and healthy weekend.

More Scare Tactics: Does Anybody Really Need a Hands-Free Soap Dispenser?

I have been paying attention to ads recently and I have noticed that the “fear factor” in advertising is not only confined to drug companies.

Even the soap industry is getting into “scare tactics.” The other day I heard an ad about a pump soap dispenser that you don’t have to touch. The ad said that regular soap pumps might have germs on them and that you should not take the chance of touching them and contracting a disease.

How silly. If you are using the pump, aren’t you about to wash your hands…with SOAP? And if there were some bacteria present on the pump, washing your hands should kill them.

The scary truth about soap is not the germs that may be on the pump but the fact that “Antibacterial” soaps are doing more harm than good. They are helping to breed “superbugs” which are resistant to our natural defenses. Plus, too frequent hand washing can dry out your skin, breaking down your natural barrier to bacteria and opening the door to the very danger you were hoping to prevent.

While personal hygiene is important, washing your hands after you touch anything is not the secret to staying healthy. Maintaining a strong immune system is your best defense against illness. And that’s where The Back Care Center can help. Regular chiropractic adjustments combined with nutritional support can help keep you and your immune system healthy and strong.

If you have any questions about what you can be doing to avoid illness, call us. It isn’t about not being scared of germs and bacteria – it’s about having the best life you can.

Have a great and healthy day!
Dr. David Schwartz,
The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ
For appointments, call 201-387-7463

 

Health Care Scare Tactics

I was driving the other day and noticed 4 or 5 ads on the radio about “Health Care”. The one thing they had in common was the way the ads were designed to make listeners scared. In truth, they worked and while driving, I began to wonder how much of a risk I was taking by not looking into the medications they were suggesting.

When I heard one piece from a high risk pregnancy group say that “not everyone needs their help but why take the chance” a light bulb went off in my head. How crazy! I STILL felt fear, even though my wife and I are NOT expecting any more children and I realized that all these ads are supposed to scare you into action, even if that action isn’t the right one for you.

For 25 plus years, I have been telling people about the beauty and the benefits of being healthy. And all the while media and drug companies have been focused on scaring people into compliance by making it sound like “DISEASE” is around every corner waiting to steal your health from your unsuspecting hands.

The truth is, health is a wonderful thing. It allows you to enjoy time with family, succeed at your job, play hard at sports or just enjoy time to relax. It doesn’t come in pill form and can only be pursued by taking positive actions. Of course, there is a time for medication and disease care and I am thankful for the advances in medicine during those times. But the time to work on your health is now and every moment of your life in the future. Not only because it is so difficult to recover when lost but because being healthy adds so much to your life every day.

If you have any questions about what you can be doing to improve your health, call us. It isn’t about not being scared of disease – it’s about having the best life you can.

Have a great and healthy day!
Dr. David Schwartz,
The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ
For appointments, call 201-387-7463

 

Introducing Kinesio Taping at The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ

As some of you already know, I have been using a new technique, Kinesio Taping, to help patients with necks, shoulders, hands and lower backs. Kinesio Tape is a self adhesive, elastic tape that can be used in a variety of beneficial ways.

When applied correctly, the tape can help with pain and swelling. It can be used to strengthen weak muscles or give ones that are working too hard a rest. I use Kinesio Taping for my patients to help them hold their adjustments longer and enhance the healing effect of care.

With the tape, my patients say it feels like I’m still working on them even when they’ve gone home. The combination of chiropractic adjustments with taping is making care better than ever and the results are speaking for themselves.

You can read more about Kinesio Taping here, or on the website of its inventor, Dr. Kenzo Kase. And if you’re interested in finding out whether your recovery can be assisted through Kinesio Taping, call us for an appointment.

The Back Care Center of Dumont NJ will be closed this Saturday, 1-7-12

Dr. Schwartz will be at a training seminar this weekend and so the office will be closed Saturday, January 7, 2012.

See you Monday. And have a great and healthy weekend.

The Back Care Center of Dumont NJ will be closed Sat. Dec. 24 and Sat Dec. 31

Happy Holidays from the Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ!

The Back Care Center will be open normal hours over the next three weeks, except for the next two Saturdays (Dec 24 and Dec. 31) when the office will be closed.

Dr. David Schwartz and the staff of The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ want to wish all of our patients, neighbors and friends in Dumont, Bergenfield, Closter, Cresskill, Englewood, Harrington Park, New Milford, Ridgefield Park and Teaneck a wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year.

Invest in your own health

Recently a new patient came to me with lower back pain that radiated into the leg. He had been battling the problem for three years and it was gradually getting worse. After examining him and looking at his X-rays and his MRI report, I knew two things. First, if he didn’t get this problem taken care of he would end up needing a risky surgery on his lower back. The second thing I knew was that I could help him before it got that bad.

The only problem was his insurance coverage wasn’t great and he was going to have to be responsible for part of the cost of his care. I try to keep my fees affordable but he wanted to know if I could guarantee my results. Sadly, there are no guarantees with health care. All any doctor can do is provide the very best service possible and do what he believes is the right thing for the patient.

What I could guarantee was that doing nothing to deal with a growing problem would be a poor choice. He was concerned that pain was going to prevent him from being able to do his job, and with money so tight he didn’t want to spend anything on his health. But the truth was that if he didn’t “invest” in his health it would cost him not only much more money but also potentially his job and the quality of his life with his family.

In this case, the patient and I both felt very strongly that the treatment I recommended was his best choice. We gave him a reasonable payment option and he has chosen to begin spinal decompression therapy. I expect that his ROI (return on investment) will be excellent.

My concern is for others with problems like my patient. Insurance costs are climbing and coverage is more limited with each passing year. But in the end, ignoring your health will become the most costly investment you didn’t make.

In case we forgot to mention, power is back on and the office is open

Once again, power has been restored and The Back Care Center of Dumont, NJ is open for business.

Dr. David Schwartz and the staff at the Back Care Center hope you made it through this latest emergency in the best of health. But storms like this can lead to injuries. Shoveling, picking up fallen tree limbs and branches, and coping with the stress and anxiety of the emergency can all contribute to neck and back pain.

If so, give us a call and come on down for a chiropractic adjustment or a little massage therapy.

And as always, we hope you have a great and healthy day.