Rhode Island Chiropractic Care

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Chiropractic news we want to share with you!

New Hope Family ChiropracticNews
By Roger Lincoln April 10, 2024 Chiropractic Care, Exercises, News, Therapy

Should I see a Chiropractor or go to Physical Therapy???

A patient case scenario “My back has been hurting for the past 6 months and getting worse so I decided to see my medical doctor for help.  After telling my doctor about my lower back and how it has been hurting, he gave me a prescription for anti-inflammatory medication, muscle relaxers, and a prescription for physical therapy.   I asked about going to a chiropractor, and he told me he didn’t know anything about chiropractic and I could try it if I wanted to but to be careful”.

This is a very common scenario because most people and medical doctors don’t know what a chiropractor treats.  Most people think that chiropractors treat back and neck pain which is just a symptom of what it is they treat.  A chiropractor treats a condition called a Subluxation.  A subluxation is a misalignment of a vertebra or combination of vertebrae in the spine that leads to nerve irritation which can cause a whole host of unwanted symptoms like back and neck pain.   Any joint in the body can subluxate and can be treated by a proficient chiropractor.  The sacrum/tailbone or ilium/hipbone are common nonspinal bones that can be subluxated and cause lower back and sciatic pain.  Many back surgeries that have an unsuccessful outcome are because the problem lies in the sacrum or sacral iliac joint and not in the spine.

Physical therapist treats back and neck problems and a host of other physical conditions.  Their goal is to rehabilitate the soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, tendons) of the body that are responsible for moving the joint and supporting the joint.  Physical therapy plays in important part in helping patients recover from soft tissue injuries and surgeries.  All chiropractors are also Doctors of Physiotherapy which provide the same function as physical therapy type work.  Most state insurance regulations do not allow chiropractors to bill for Physiotherapy so they do not practice physiotherapy which is an unfair practice.  If the spine is out of alignment (subluxated) it must be put back into alignment to correct the cause of the condition.  If the subluxation is not corrected the condition will persist.  No stretching, strengthening, medication, or surgery is going to correct a subluxation.

If you are having back pain don’t expect your medical doctor to refer you to a chiropractor.  You don’t need a referral to see a chiropractor.  Start with a chiropractor first and get your spine checked.  If it is not a misalignment problem your chiropractor will refer you to a Physical Therapist.   If you are having persistent back or neck problem click on the link or call my office to get your spine checked.

By Roger Lincoln March 30, 2024 Chiropractic Care, News

I have Arthritis in my Spine What Can I do?

A caller, called my office last week stating that he had been diagnosed with arthritis of the spine and was prescribed medication for the pain.  He did not want to take the medications because he was concerned about the damage from long-term use of NSAIDs can have on the stomach, kidneys, and liver.  He wanted to know if chiropractic could help with his condition or if there was something natural he could take for the pain that would not cause side effects.  I have had many patients ask what is arthritis and what causes arthritis and if chiropractic can help with it. 

The word “Arthritis” comes from the Greek and Latin language, “artho” meaning joint and “itis” meaning inflammation of the ______.  Combine the two words and it means joint inflammation. A joint is where two bones meet together.  The joint is usually separated by cartilage (disc) and held together by ligaments and fibers.  The cartilage between the joints is very tough and durable and does not break down because of age.  It breaks down because of trauma, overuse, or abuse of the joint.  If you are over the age of 40 and you come into the doctor’s office complaining of lower back or neck pain, stiffness, loss of flexibility in the spine, or inability to straighten your back or turn your neck, you will be diagnosed with arthritis.  Arthritis of the spine will be accompanied by swelling and tenderness over the affected vertebrae, a feeling of grinding when moving the spine, and pain or numbness in your arms or legs if the nerves are affected.  Headaches are typical with arthritis in the neck.  

 

As the cartilage (disc) between the joints slowly breaks down, it leads to inflammation and pain. Because the pain is from mechanical damage, it will be more noticeable when bending or twisting your back. Past back injuries also contribute to degenerative arthritis of the spine. Degeneration of the disc contributes to spinal facet joint arthritis. As discs between the vertebrae become thinner, more mechanical pressure is transferred to the facet joints. This leads to more friction and more damage to the cartilage.

Degenerative changes that occur in the neck are referred to as cervical spondylosis.

Loss of range of motion in the joints accelerates the progression of arthritis and pain in the spine.  The first goal of chiropractic treatments in this case is to begin to increase range of motion and increase function of the effected joints.   This will increase blood flow to the effect areas promoting healing and reducing inflammation.   Regular and persistent chiropractic treatments can be very effective in helping restore normal function and health back to the spine.  If you have been diagnosed with arthritis of the spine or spinal stenosis and would like to know if chiropractic can help you, click on the link below or call my office.

By Roger Lincoln March 15, 2024 Chiropractic Care, News , ,

What the Heck is Tech Neck?

In January 2007 a revolutionary new product was introduced to the market that changed how people interacted in all forms of daily activities.  Today the smartphone is in everybody’s hands all day and people are looking down at their phone 3 to 6 hours a day.  As a result, a new condition has been coined Tech Neck for those people who have been complaining about neck pain, upper back pain, and numbness in their arms and hands.

Tech Neck is caused by continuously putting the head and neck in the unusual position of looking down for extended periods of time.

Let’s look at the anatomy of the neck and how looking down all the time leads to bio-mechanical and degenerative changes to the spine and associated problems like neck pain, upper back pain, shoulder pain, and radiculopathy in the arms and hands.

Looking at a person from the side, the ear should be over the shoulder and the neck should have a 63-degree forward curve.  The curve of the neck is very important because it distributes the weight of the head throughout the curve of the spine providing a springing effect. The head weighs 13 to 18 pounds depending on the size of the person.  The head sits on top of the neck which acts like a long lever arm creating compressive forces on the disc and vertebral bone when looking down.  When looking down the muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the neck have to work harder to support the weight of the head.  The compressive forces of the head on the disc and vertebra accelerate degeneration of the disc and vertebra leading to very early arthritis and other conditions not normally seen in younger people.  It does not take long for a person to begin to develop a tech neck.  Pro long periods of daily looking down at your cell phone or some other handheld device will quickly lead to tech neck or the reversing of the cervical curve.

Allopathic physicians are seeing an explosion of young people coming into their offices with complaints of neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, and numbness in the arms and hands.  These patients are prescribed rounds of anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxers, and headache medications that help to relieve the symptoms but do not correct the cause of the problem.

It does not matter how much medication you take or how much you stretch or try to strengthen the muscles of your neck and upper back, the problem will not go away until the curve of the neck is restored.  I have helped many young and old with this condition.  If you want to get relief and restore the natural curve of your neck you can click on this link or call my office today and schedule an appointment.

If you have been faced with Tech Neck issues and are looking for some resolution, please contact us by calling our office at 401-433-3600 or schedule a new patient exam appointment online.

By Roger Lincoln March 2, 2024 Chiropractic Care, News ,

The Effects of Alcohol On Your Spine

Have you considered the effects of Alcohol on your Spine

About ten years ago drinking red wine was considered a good healthy benefit because of a compound discovered in it called resveratrol. Resveratrol has been found to have many cardiovascular benefits as well as longevity effects. However, years later the authors of the study stated that resveratrol is very beneficial for your health but alcohol was not and resveratrol should be taken in supplement form and not from drinking wine. In other words, drinking a glass of red wine once a day was more detrimental to your health than getting the resveratrol from a glass of wine.

It is well known that daily consumption of alcohol in large or small quantities is detrimental to the health of your liver, blood vessels and kidneys but very few are aware of its devastating effects on your bones and joints. Alcohol is very acidic and the body(blood) has a certain pH level that it must maintain or you could go into a state of hyper-acidosis leading to organ damage (kidneys) and other nefarious conditions.

The body is smart so to prevent damage to the organs it will take calcium from the bone and blood to neutralize the acid and restore normal pH levels. What researches have also found is alcohol in the blood stream kills a very important cell in the bone called an osteoblast that are responsible for making new bone. Bone is not static. Your body is always removing old bone (osteoclast cells) and making new bone (osteoblast cells). When this process is interrupted the bone begins to become brittle (osteopenia) and become deformed and loses their strength. Deformities around the joint lead to arthritis and degenerative disc, degenerative joint disease. If you are experiencing stiffness or tightness or soreness first thing in the morning getting out of bed it is a sure sign of arthritis.

I experienced my first case of a daily wine drinker coming to me for back pain during my first year into practice.   He was an active gentleman in his early sixties who appeared to be very healthy.  His x-rays revealed a spine of an 80-year-old man.  I was shocked at what I saw.  I received 2 years of radiology studies and pathology studies while in chiropractic college and was never told of alcohol consumption causing this type of condition.  I asked him about his food consumption and he told me he would have a glass of wine or two each night for dinner. I began to ask my patients about diet and began to see a direct correlation with their bone health and flexibility.

Today the orthopedic industry is seeing a significant increase in joint replacement surgeries. Arthritis is not a disease of old age it is a nutritional deficiency induced disease that can be halted and improved with a healthy diet and the use of properly recommended supplements. Chiropractic is very helpful in restoring mobility and proper function to arthritic joints. If you are feeling the effects of arthritis and need help getting your health back click on this link or call my office.

If you have been faced with Spine issues and are looking for some resolution, please contact us by calling our office at 401-433-3600 or schedule a new patient exam appointment online.  

By Roger Lincoln February 15, 2024 Chiropractic Care, News

Rhodes Island’s Treasure, The Legendary Piano Man, Bernie Houle

The Legendary Piano Man Bernie Houle Shares His Secretes to Longevity

Mr. Houle celebrates his 98th birthday this year. What I find most remarkable about Mr.Houle is his attitude and his energy. At 97 Mr. Houle will be in my waiting room showing anyone who will watch how he can do sit-ups and push-ups and other calisthenic exercises most people half his age can’t do. He will preach to them how they need to eat right get up do some exercise and get their back checked at least once a month.

Mr. Houle started seeing a chiropractor after injuring his back lifting army gear while he was in the army during World War 2. Mr. Houle could hardly move but tried to power through the injury until he could not take the pain anymore. A fellow army mate suggested he see a chiropractor located just off the army base.

Mr. Houle had never heard of a chiropractor much less what they did, but he was hurting so bad he was willing to try anything. Needless to say, the chiropractic treatments helped Mr. Houle return to normal daily activities and become a believer in the power of a chiropractic adjustment.

After serving his country Mr. Houle ventured into the music business fixing and selling pianos. Mr. Houle’s mechanical aptitude and keen ear for tonal quality established him as the go-to man for fixing and selling the right piano for the biggest names in the music business that needed the right piano for the right price. To this day Mr. Houle still gets calls from recognizable names to fix or tune their piano. Fixing and tuning pianos is becoming a lost art because of the cheap throw-away pianos of today’s electronic instruments.

Mr Houle has a daily routine of getting out of bed when he wakes up and stretches and exercises for an hour. He lives in a high-rise apartment complex and will walk up 3 flights of stairs down the long hallway and down the 3 flights of stairs 6 to 8 times each day to get his cardio exercise in. He stays away from sugar products and carbohydrates focusing on fruits, plenty of vegetables, and meat. He is careful not to eat more than he needs to and takes joy in preparing and eating a healthy meal.

He is very socially active and outgoing and still drives every day. To stay mentally sharp, he plans his day to meet up with friends he has made at the apartment complex or community locations. He will often sit and play piano for the tenets in the community room or at different events keeping his memory sharp. While he does not need to go to soup kitchens or local food pantries, he has found it to be a place where he can meet and socialize with people. Mr. Houle does not believe getting old impedes life, he looks at age as an opportunity to grow in life and wisdom. He refuses to let aches or pains slow him down or encourage him to take up residence in a wheelchair or a walker. He has found that going to the chiropractor monthly or more over the past 50 years has contributed to his mobility, vitality health, and wellness.

At 98 Mr. Houle will be my oldest Chiropractic Patient and by far my most inspirational patient. We all can benefit from the example Mr. Houle sets. “ Get up, move, and don’t be afraid to work”.

By Roger Lincoln April 1, 2020 Chiropractic Care, Studies, Therapy ,

Why it is Important to Stick to Your Prescribed Treatment Plan

Look For a Successful Out Come?

A treatment plan is a detailed plan tailored to the individual needs and objectives of the patient.  While the contents of the treatment plan may not be what the patient had envisioned, it is what the patient needs.

Chiropractic has been around and practiced for 125 years. Out of those years of clinical experience and studies, it has been objectively proven that when a treatment plan is developed and followed as prescribed, the patient’s outcome is significantly better.

A treatment plan is developed from the doctor’s findings obtained during your consultation, exam and analysis of your x-rays.   The doctor will also consider other factors when determining the number of treatments you will need.  These will include your age, how long your condition has persisted, the severity of the symptoms and your overall health.  Your outcome will be directly related to your adherence of your prescribed treatment plan.

 

A treatment plan is broken up into phases with notable milestones that build off of each other to obtain your stated objectives.  Your stated objectives are determined during your initial consultation with your doctor.  The first phase is referred to as the Relief Phase of Care in which the goal is to control, minimize or relieve the symptoms. Depending on how serve your condition is and the soft tissue involved, you can be treated every day or every other day until your condition normalizes.  This can be as short as one week or as long as 6 to 8 weeks.  Most patients experience steady improvement during this initial phase of care. In some cases, the condition may temporarily get worse before it gets better.  Patience and persistence will be key to a successfully outcome.  Your doctor may prescribe other modalities to help relieve symptoms, reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process.  Some cases may require removal from work, limiting activities and bed rest for several days.

 

The second phase is the Healing and Correction Phase.  The pain and inflammation that motivated you to see the doctor must be reduced and under control before healing of soft tissue and correction of the misalignment in the spine begins.  Soft tissue is what holds the vertebra of the spine in place.  Injuries or over-use causes it to break down and results in inflammation, spasms, misalignment and neuritis.    Soft tissue of the spine consists of ligaments, tendons, discs, nerves and muscles.  Soft tissues of the spine take 90 to 120 days to fully heal.  The objective of the Healing and Corrective Phase as prescribed is to continue with the healing of the spinal soft tissue, prevent re-occurrence of symptoms and the correction of spinal misalignment.  The goal of this phase is to continue the healing process and prevent a relapse.    Stopping your treatment plan once the pain is gone generally leads to re-occurrences of the condition.  Skipping and missing treatments reduce the effectiveness of the treatments and limits or prevents a successful outcome.

 

The final phase of your prescribed treatment plan (Strengthen and Correction Phase) is designed to continue the correction of misalignment and strengthen the soft tissue of the spine to prevent the re-occurrences of flare ups.  Propper strengthening and stretching exercises will be prescribed to help to restore normal ranges of motion and strengthen the soft tissues of the spine.

 

It is important for you to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy spine.  Spinal pain will limit all phases of your life if you let it.  Please understand that a treatment plan is not developed based on what your health insurance will cover or your schedule.  It is based on what you need to be well again.

By Roger Lincoln January 31, 2019 Uncategorized

January’s Resolution? Weight Loss!! Need some help?

January’s Resolution:   Weight Loss! 

Want to Change?

Every year the number one resolution of Americans is to lose weight. Weight is a major health issue in America. The rate of overweight or obese has been rising for decades topping at 66% of Americans. A recent study, researchers found that the trend may have been short-lived. If nothing changes, they estimate that half of all U.S. teenagers will be overweight or obese by 2030 — as will one-third of kids between 6 and 11 years old.

Overweight and obesity are defined by the World Health Organization as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to determine if you are categized as overweight or obese. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. The easiest way to calculate your body mass index is by using an online BMI calculator. Just plug in your weight, height, age, and gender and the calculator does all the work for you. Not only does it tell you your body mass index measurement, the calculator also tells you a healthy BMI range for your age and sex. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/index.html.

The medical establishment is recognizing that diet and weight are major contributing factors in the cause of may diseases such as: Heart disease and stroke, High blood pressure, Diabetes , Some cancers, Gallbladder disease & gallstones, Osteoarthritis, Gout, Breathing problems, sleep apnea, asthma just to name a few.

Most people want to lose weight for the purpose of looking good not realizing they are bettering their overall health. It has been recently been discovered that the fat tissues (adipose tissue) creates hormones and inflammatory agents that make you gain weight and make you ache. The adipose tissue creates estrogen that will make men flabby and weak and increase weight in the buttock and thighs for women. The adipose tissue generates inflammatory agents that cause skin conditions, muscle and joint pain and just and overall feeling of not feeling well. The tissues and organs get filled with these toxic agents that need to be flushed by a good cleanse and detox program followed by a wholesome nutritional program.

If you are looking to Loss Weight and look & feel good again ask Dr. Lincoln about the Cleanse and Detox program to Lose Weight & Feel Better.

By Roger Lincoln November 14, 2017 Uncategorized

Foot Levers Orthothics

  New Additions to the Practice

Correcting Foot / Knee / Hip & Potential Reoccurring Back Ache  

                              Custom Orthotics made to correct your fallen arches.

  The foot and ankle is the foundation of the body. Loss of the arches of the feet can lead to foot problems, knee and back problems. Pronated feet and ankles can cause the knees to turn inward,
a condition commonly known as knock-knees.  This abnormal placement of the knees then shifts the angle where the thigh bone meets the pelvis, resulting in an unsteady hip posture that also destabilizes the spine. The result is a domino effect that starts at the feet, works its way up the leg and into the pelvis and spine. Walking and standing with the feet, legs, hips, and spine constantly out of alignment can contribute to back pain.

 

  

Save yourself hundreds of dollars. Dr. Lincoln will be scan your feet free of charge and review the results of your scan.

These are not “Off-the-Shelf Dr. Scholl’s” orthotics. These are custom made based on scan of your foot.

They are high quality long lasting orthotics.

New Patient Special - FREE One Hour Massage after 4th Visit.Sign Up Today!