Guide to Treating Diabetic Neuropathy

by Sergey Kochelayev | Jul 13, 2020 | Advice, Injury, Nutrition, Orthotics, Sleep, Weight-Loss, Wellness

A Guide to Recognizing, Diagnosing and Treating Diabetic Neuropathy

A recent study showed that in 2018, over 10% of the American population was diagnosed with diabetes. Couple that with the fact that there’s a proven correlation between rising obesity levels and Type-2 diabetes, and it’s clear this number will only rise from here.

However, there are a lot of extra problems that pop up thanks to diabetes. One of the worst among them is diabetic neuropathy. But how can you recognize and treat this condition in tandem with “normal” diabetes?

Well, look no further! We’re here to give you the guide to recognizing, diagnosing, and treating diabetic neuropathy! So without further ado, let’s jump right in.

Recognizing Diabetic Neuropathy

So what exactly is neuropathy? Well, neuropathy is a condition that results from the nerves in the body becoming damaged. Diabetes causes this thanks to the high levels of blood sugar damaging nerve sensors over time.

Neuropathy appears in four different types to boot. Peripheral neuropathy deals with pain and numbness in the arms and legs. Autonomic neuropathy targets your stomach and other organs, causing discomfort and bloating.

Proximal neuropathy involves pain located on one side of your body. Finally, focal neuropathy goes after specific nerves in the torso or head.

Some obvious symptoms of neuropathy include numbness and a tingling or burning feeling in your appendages. Differences in touch sensitivity are also common with this disorder.

Other symptoms include vomiting, bladder problems, dizziness, diarrhea, and bloating. In certain cases, erectile dysfunction and vaginal dryness have also been signs of neuropathy.

Diagnosing Diabetic Neuropathy

If you believe you have diabetic neuropathy, your doctor will perform a reflex test. This involves checking your touch sensitivity and the reflexes of your tendons. From there, your doctor can order a variety of different tests to ensure that their diagnosis is accurate.

One of these tests (sensory testing) involves seeing how your nerves respond to different temperatures. Filament tests involve brushing soft nylon over your skin to get an even clearer picture of how much touch sensation you have.

In some cases, your doctor will even recommend an autonomic test. This determines how your blood pressure flows when you sit or stand in different ways.

Treating Diabetic Neuropathy

One of the main ways doctors slow the progression of the disease is by making sure your blood sugar levels stay at healthy levels. The general guideline for fasting blood sugar levels is to stay below 100 milligrams per deciliter.

Different types of pain medication will also help treat the painful sensations that come with diabetic neuropathy. But what about the individual symptoms caused by diabetic neuropathy, at Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness we treat the neuropathy with a proper nutrition plan that targets nerve regeneration!

A Brighter Tomorrow

So now that you have this guide on how recognizing, diagnosing, and treating diabetic neuropathy works, you’re ready to tackle this disease head-on! If you or someone you know is suffering from neuropathic disease, contact us, and see how we can help!

Back Pain During Pregnancy

by Sergey Kochelayev | May 14, 2020 | Advice, Hormone Balance, Injury, Orthotics, Pregnancy, Sleep, Weight-Loss, Wellness

Chiropractic Relief for Pregnancy Back Pain

Pregnancy is one of the happiest times for a couple to experience. There is the excitement of a new baby, the anticipation of the changes he or she will bring, and the hopefulness of a growing family. As part of the changes a woman’s body will go through, back pain during pregnancy is quite common but chiropractic care can help through out the pregnancy to relief the aches and pains.

What Are the Causes of Pregnancy Back Pain?

If you think about it, it’s no wonder you are experiencing discomfort…you are gaining weight in an isolated area very quickly, your center of gravity is shifting, and you are undergoing hormonal changes meant to assist in the birthing process. Usually starting in the second half of pregnancy, many women begin to feel pain in their lower back and pelvis at the sacroiliac joint.

This pain can begin after periods of standing or sitting with no breaks, following a restless night of sleep, or during stressful times and is caused by:

Weight gain—a woman usually gains between 25 and 35 pounds during her pregnancy with most of it carried in the belly area putting additional stress on the lower back.
Shifting gravity—a woman’s “center of gravity” is in a constant state of flux during pregnancy as each day brings new weight gain, shifting posture, and possibly an altered gait.
Hormonal changes—Relaxing, a hormone meant to aid childbirth, causes muscles and ligaments in the pelvic region to loosen and relax so that the baby can be born more easily. This often causes pain in the back and spine as the relaxing muscles aren’t providing adequate support.

How to Relieve Back Pain

Understanding that back pain is common and isn’t an indication of something abnormal is a good first step in relieving unnecessary stress during a pregnancy. Here are some good techniques to maintain back strength and help make the new Mom comfortable throughout her pregnancy:

Practice Using Good Posture
- Stand straight
- Keep your shoulders back
- Use a wide stance for the best support
- Sit using a chair that supports your back
- Forget the high heels for now
- Use good body mechanics when lifting
- Sleep on your side
Gentle, moderate exercise helps by strengthening the back muscles and increasing flexibility—yoga is an excellent choice for pregnancy
Wearing a belly belt to support the weight
Warm baths and ice packs intermittently
Alternative therapies such as chiropractic care and massage

Chiropractic Care and Back Pain During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, chiropractic care can be beneficial in a number of ways, including alleviating back pain, as well as pain in the hips and joints. Used in conjunction with massage and exercise, chiropractic care during pregnancy seamlessly harmonizes with whatever birthing method and care team you have chosen, i.e., traditional OB-GYN, midwifery.

Regular chiropractic visits can promote and establish pelvic balance and alignment creating a healthier environment for the baby and less pain for the mother during pregnancy. In fact, there is research that suggests chiropractic care improves a woman’s ability to have a successful natural birth and reduce the time she is in labor.

In Mill Creek, Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness has compassionate and experienced providers available to answer your questions and to discuss a pregnancy-supportive care plan, including alleviating back, hip, and pelvic pain brought on by the pregnancy itself. If you are seeking relief for the discomfort of back pain brought on by pregnancy, consider the benefits of managing that pain through chiropractic care.

All of us at Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness wish you a safe and happy pregnancy with terrific health and freedom of movement. Please contact us at our Mill Creek location to discuss the natural and healthy benefits of chiropractic care during and after your pregnancy.

Babies with Sleeping Issues

by Sergey Kochelayev | May 14, 2020 | Advice, Pregnancy, Sleep, Wellness

Possible Reasons Why Your Baby Won’t Sleep (Plus, What You Can Do About It)

Does your baby have trouble sleeping? Are you wondering what you can do to help your baby sleep better?

If your baby isn’t sleeping, this is a definite cause for concern. Sleep has a direct impact on babies‘ mental and physical development. If your baby is missing out on sleep, development in these areas may be stunted.

To help your baby get a better night’s sleep, you first need to know why he/she is struggling. Check out this guide to discover the reasons why your baby won’t sleep and what you can do about it.

Why Sleep is Important for Babies

Before we talk about the reasons why your baby isn’t sleeping, let’s first talk about why sleep is so important for babies. As we mentioned in the intro, sleep is important for a baby’s physical and mental development.

Additionally, forming good sleep habits as a baby will carry over into the rest of one’s life. Also, we can’t forget that babies who do not get enough sleep tend to be fussy and cranky when they’re awake.

REM Sleep

But, to say that babies need sleep to be healthy isn’t enough. In particular, babies need REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement, and this refers to the period of sleep in which your eyes quickly move in different directions. This is a light period of sleep that is often characterized by vivid dreams.

Babies spend about half of their sleep cycles in REM sleep.

REM sleep is important for humans at every age of life, but it’s especially important for babies. It’s during this sleep cycle that the brain regions used in learning are stimulated. REM sleep is also associated with increased protein production, which is important for helping your baby grow.

Why Your Baby Won’t Sleep

Now that you know why sleep is so important for babies, let’s take a look at some of the reasons as to why your baby is struggling to fall asleep. Here are some reasons why:

Your baby is too hot/cold
Your baby is overstimulated
Your baby is hungry
Your baby is too tired/nap deprived
Your baby lacks routine
You’re interfering too quickly when your baby doesn’t fall asleep right away
Your baby is napping too late
Your baby is sleeping in different rooms
Your baby is transitioning through sleep cycles
Your baby is sleeping in the wrong position
Your baby is experiencing teething or growing pains
Your baby is sick
Your baby is suffering from a sleep disorder

As you can see, there are many reasons why your baby may be struggling to sleep.

How to Promote Better Sleep

Luckily, there are things you can do to help promote better sleep in your baby. One of the most important things to do is to make sure that your baby is sleeping in the right position.

For a good night’s sleep, we recommend placing your baby on their back. Not only will this promote good sleep, but this will also ensure that your baby sleeps safely.

You may also want to consider gently massaging your baby to help him/her sleep. Or, you may want to consider taking your baby to a chiropractor to get adjusted which will improve parasympathetic nervous system which will ultimately help them sleep better.

Are You Ready to Help Your Baby Sleep?

Now that you know why your baby won’t sleep, it’s time to take action. If you’ve tried all sorts of things to help your baby fall asleep but are still having difficulties, it may be time to take your baby to a chiropractor.

If you’re looking to schedule an appointment in the Mill Creek, Washington area, contact us today.

Phases of Healing with Regence Insurance During Chiropractic Care in Mill Creek

by Sergey Kochelayev | Feb 3, 2020 | Advice, Hormone Balance, Injury, Orthotics, Pregnancy, Sleep, Testimonials, Weight-Loss, Wellness

Phases of Healing during Chiropractic Care

Often in our clinic we are asked: “How long will it take to get me feeling better?”. This is a loaded question as the patient’s lifestyle and degree of injury determines the intensity and duration of the treatment plan.

What are the 3-steps of care with Chiropractic?

First Phase: At the initial stage, the chiropractor will help decrease pain and inflammation. At our clinic, a muscle massager, mechanical traction table and hands-on adjustments is used to increase joint mobility and reducing inflammation and pain.
Second Phase: In the second phase, the chiropractor will aim for stabilization. He/she will introduce rehabilitation exercises such as hamstring pull, lunges or fences stance. The best exercises for joint pain are stretch exercises.

Your chiropractor may ask you to wear a supportive belt or strap to stabilize the joint that won’t stay in the right place. This will limit the movement of the joint in order to reduce painful symptoms. In addition, Core stabilization exercises will be given to stable your core and strengthen your muscles.

Third Phase: By now, your chiropractor will have largely relieved your pain. Without pain, you can perform most, if not all the activities normally.

This phase is considered the maintenance and wellness phase. Your chiropractor will guide you on topics regarding developing a healthy lifestyle and exercises to perform in order to prevent recurrent pain.

In addition to this, your chiropractor may check if you are required to wear custom shoe soles, and prescribe natural health supplements for example glucosamine, turmeric and omega-3 fatty acid which produces an anti-inflammatory effect.

At our Mill Creek clinic, we treat various injuries. If you have an injury that needs assistance, contact us today to schedule an evaluation and stop living with pain.

Natural and Effective Neck Pain Treatment in Mill Creek

by Sergey Kochelayev | Jan 28, 2020 | Advice, Injury, Sleep, Wellness

Stop Living with Neck Pain

The neck is a funny thing, we use it constantly but take it for granted—not seeing how amazing it is until there’s a problem. If you are experiencing pain from an acute injury, overuse, or unresolved stress in your life, there are ways to stop the pain and prevent it from reoccurring. If you live in Mill Creek, try visiting Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness for an alternative to living with neck pain.

What Really Causes Neck Pain

There are two types of injuries that cause pain in the neck—acute injuries, like from an auto accident or muscle pull or strain, and “overuse” situations. Let’s look at the varied causes of overuse injuries:

Stress causing tightness in the neck and upper back
Working in a sedentary environment, such as at a desk or on a computer all day with little or no breaks
Osteo-arthritis, or degenerative joint disease usually caused by age and the wearing down of connective tissue and cartilage that can lead to bone spurs
Compressed, bulging or herniated disks

Over time, most of these cause pain, an increase muscle tightness, the inability to move or swivel your head, headaches, and numbness or tingling. When experiencing any of these symptoms, its recommended that you visit someone for an evaluation or assessment.

How is Neck Pain Diagnosed and Treated

When visiting a chiropractor for neck pain, your provider will gather information through physical examination and lifestyle assessment. He or she may use advanced diagnostic testing, such as x-rays, MRI or CT scans. If it is determined that further evaluation or intervention is needed, your chiropractic provider will refer you to a medical doctor if appropriate.

Depending on the type of injury, a chiropractor may use a range of treatment alternatives, including:

Cervical manipulation to ease the pain and loosen any pinched nerves
Mobilization
Exercises to promote rehabilitation
Massage therapy
Ice/heat therapy

How to Prevent Recurring or Non-Emergent Neck Pain

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Haven’t we all heard that old adage…and in this case it is often true. Many of us are living a very sedentary lifestyle; hours seated looking at screens, either computer monitors, handheld screens, or TVs. Try some of these techniques and just get up and move:

Good posture
Ergonomic work environment/evaluation
Full body stretching while seated during the day
Take frequent breaks and walk around
Stop tucking the phone between your chin and shoulder
Good sleeping position with proper head support

You want to take good care of your neck and prevent problems that will haunt you as you get older. Keeping the muscles strong through a solid exercise program and good nutrition will pay big dividends in the future as well.

All of us at Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness wish you health and freedom of movement. Please to contact us at our Mill Creek Location for more tips on body mechanics and nutrition, as well as to discuss the natural and healthy benefits of chiropractic manipulation.

Choosing a Chiropractor in Mill Creek

by Sergey Kochelayev | Jan 27, 2020 | Advice, Hormone Balance, Injury, Orthotics, Pregnancy, Sleep, Testimonials, Weight-Loss, Wellness

Choosing the Right Chiropractor in Mill Creek

6 Inspiring Things to Remember When Choosing a Mill Creek Chiropractor

There are a variety of reasons why someone may want to consult a Mill Creek chiropractor…maybe they’re interested in exploring healthy lifestyle alternatives, are experiencing some minor aches and pains, or they recently suffered an acute injury. Whatever the reason, now may be a great time to look at the holistic wellness benefits of chiropractic care.

6 Inspiring Things to Know About Mill Creek Chiropractic Care

Without a doubt, we are the total sum of our individual parts! There is equal benefit in evaluating both our physical well being and our lifestyle choices, such as nutrition and exercise. This way, a Mill Creek Chiropractor can develop an overall approach that is both wide-ranging and comprehensive.

When considering this unique approach to healing the body and preventing illness, remember these six inspiring concepts:

Chiropractic care is ageless. From infants to seniors, chiropractic care can improve your quality of life, reducing the need for medications and invasive interventions. It can restore proper nerve function, increase joint mobility, and improve coordination. And for someone facing surgery, it can lessen pain and swelling post-procedure.

Your chiropractor looks at your health holistically and assesses action and reaction instead of random and spontaneous elements. They understand that all things are truly linked together.

Most people don’t seek out a Mill Creek Chiropractor until they experience pain (most often back pain), but that’s not usually the first sign or symptom. Often, they have been masking a problem with home remedies like over-the-counter pain medications or the application of heat or cold. Also, if you experience headaches, diarrhea, asthma, or allergies, this may be a symptom of a bigger problem manifesting physically.

Chiropractic care is a non-invasive and natural treatment. People report feeling lighter or relieved following an adjustment session and some say they experience fewer colds and flus.

Mill Creek and Snohomish County are home to many athletes and people seeking healthy, active lifestyles. Chiropractic care encourages them to maximize their true potential and to help maintain flexibility, keep their lungs functioning properly, and improve their coordination.

Chiropractors are for more than back pain! The Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness in Mill Creek is a lifetime partner in nutrition, weight management, and fitness.

Much like visiting a trusted friend, a Mill Creek chiropractor is committed to your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. People seeking a healthy, less invasive style of care have been drawn to chiropractic care in expanding numbers the last 15 or 20 years. With its fundamental core foundation resting on the body’s ability to self-heal, chiropractic practitioners focus on evaluating and treating the musculoskeletal system as it affects other systems for overall health.

Your Mill Creek Chiropractor Solution

At Amazing Life Chiropractic and Wellness in Mill Creek, we have created a wellness retreat where you can comfortably experience the benefits of chiropractic care. Please talk with one of our providers or staff members about our full range of services that work in a complementary way including:

Nutrition and supplement counseling
Doctor-guided weight loss programs for the benefit of your whole life
Massage therapy that compliments as an integrative practice
Custom Orthotics for foundational support for a lifetime
Treatment and care following an auto accident injury

Our mission is to help you have the best health for an Amazing Life. Please contact us at our Mill Creek Location to discuss the natural and healthy benefits of chiropractic manipulation.