Sarpy Chiropractic Blog

When you're in pain, especially when suffering from back pain or a pounding migraine, you'll pretty much do whatever is necessary to get some relief! And this might mean reaching for some pain pills. All over the counter drugs are pretty harmless, right? Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. All drugs, even the "safe" ones like tylenol or alleve have some sort of side effect on your body. So the safety comes down to how often you use them, and in what dosages. If you only use these drugs very occasionally, then you are causing no more damage on your liver and other organs than say drinking alcohol, or any of the other myriad of chemicals that we are increasingly exposed to on a daily basis. While not ideal, it's probably worth the risk if you are in immense pain. But here is where the real problems kick in. These drugs are simply a bandaid to get you through the episode. You really need to get to the real problem of why you are suffering. Do yo...

Today is the first day of spring. In nature, this is a time for growth. But what about for you? Do you already feel like you're stuck on autopilot watching the year go flying past you? Do you have goals set that you wanted to grow towards this year but you have already fallen off the wagon? Remember this - growth is a process of shedding, not adding  We are always looking for the next shiny object we can add to make our life easier or better, when in reality the key to growth and happiness is to shed the things that no longer serve us. If you want to lose weight, instead of adding some new fancy dietary pill, try shedding the junk food or after dinner sweets from your life. If you want to feel healthier, you don't need to add any fancy new gym memberships, just use the gym more that you already belong to. And shed some couch time! If you want to save more money, it's much easier to spend less than try to earn more. If you want better relationships with your fam...

Each month makes up approximately 8.3% of the year. So that means almost 20% of the year has flown by already! How have you been using your time wisely? Or has your time been using you? Are you planning out your days and creating opportunities for your own happiness and fulfillment, or has the day to day whirlwind of life sucked you in? The problem with not taking charge of your own life is that it's too easy to fall into the trap of being a victim, making excuses and blaming other events or people for your own unhappiness and disappointments. Once you become a victim, it's only a matter of time before you get stuck in the "I'll be happy when syndrome." This is an extremely dangerous game to play. Days, weeks, months, and years go by where you keep telling yourself "I'll be happy when I have/when I am....." and insert whatever life event, material item etc that fits in. This game can become a never-ending cycle, where you get fleeting m...

If you ever feel like you're stuck in a rut, set yourself one thing from this list below to do everyday for an entire month. Every single one of these actions is guaranteed to make you smile more, feel better about yourself, and make the world a better place for those around you. Then, once you create a habit with that action, try a different item from the list the next month, and so on. Use words that encourage happiness for 30 days Try one thing new every day Perform one selfless act every day Dedicate an hour to something you're passionate about every day Concentrate on being positive at all times Get rid of one thing a day Don't tell a single lie for 30 days Wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual every morning Ditch 3 bad habits for 30 days Watch less than 30 minutes of TV every day Define one long-term goal and work on it for 1 hour every day Read 1 chapter of a good book every day Every morning, watch or read something that inspires you Do something...

When you damage or irritate a joint in your spine, either due to a traumatic injury or long term postural stress, you will end up with pain, as many of you can attest! But why do we get pain? Are we knocking a bone out of place? What actually happens is a number of things. The damaged joint essentially becomes "stuck" and it loses its motion. It becomes inflamed , as do the tissues around the joint. This then irritates the spinal nerves which cause a lot of pain , and the surrounding muscles go into spasm . This often starts out as a small thing, but the longer the joint and surrounding tissues remained stuck and damaged, the more the nerves are affected which then leads to compensation in other areas of the spine and body, and then more damage, inflammation and spasm. The cycle becomes endless. Why is this such a bad thing? Besides the pain and loss of motion, these disturbances to the nervous system can affect anything that our nerves talk to, which is every...

You have been mislead with some very serious myths when it comes to back pain and how to manage it! The first myth is that as soon as you have pain you should pop some pain relievers. Sometimes, yes, you will experience pain that is so severe that you may want to reach for the pain medications. If this is the case make sure it is for very short term use only, as study after study continues to prove that relying on pain medication for your back pain is one of the worst options you can pursue.  But remember, pain is just an alarm telling your brain that something is wrong . So if you go and medicate to numb the pain, you run the risk of making the problem much worse and creating far more damage than you already have. The next myth is that as soon as you experience back pain you should stop exercising and rest. This may be the most damaging advice out there. The worst thing you can do when it comes to back pain is stop moving altogether and just sit or rest in b...

This week we welcome a guest poster!  Sarah, the owner of Elevate Cycling & Fitness Studio shares why spin classes are so popular and the great benefits you can experience by jumping on a stationary bike and pushing yourself through an intense workout! Dim lights, music loud, letting the beat of the music guide your feet as you climb, sprint, press, and tap it back. Gone are the days of just sprinting and climbing, we incorporate a full body workout.  We want you to not only torch calories, but also dance on the bike! I am a true believer in taking time for yourself.  I believe that when we take these moments for ourselves we can not only become a better person, but it allows us to be a better friend, partner, spouse, mother, etc.  And spin can provide a place for you to come and get motivated, and get those endorphins flowing because when we feel good, we do good! Here are my top 6 reasons why you should love spin class: You will get lost ...