BothellChiropractic

Many people think massage is just a luxury. Massage actually has many health benefits. It reduces blood pressure, pain, inflammation, hypertension, and physical and emotional stress. It increases circulation, relaxation, range of motion and helps the digestive system work more effectively. It is important to drink plenty of water on the day of your massage, because massage releases toxins that then need to be flushed out of your system. More insurance companies are beginning to understand the benefits of massage. Check with your insurance company to see if it is a covered benefit. If not we have cash discount rates available. In Health, Cynthia Karvonen LMP

You may not have heard of facet joints, but they are extremely important to the well-being and function of your musculoskeletal system. Facet joints are special articulations in the spine that allow one vertebra to move over another. They come in pairs, located in the very back of each vertebral body (except for the very top vertebra – the atlas). Depending upon their orientation, they will influence the plane of movement that each vertebra will typically move through. For instance:  In the lumbar spine (lower back), the facet joints are oriented more front-to-back.  This allows these vertebrae to move easily in flexion/extension - less in rotation.     In the thoracic spine (attached to th e ribs), the facet joints shift to a more side-to-side orientation, which allows for less flexion/extension and more rotation In the cervical spine (neck), the angle the facet joints assume will vary from level to level. The very uppermost two vertebrae have facet joints that are almos

It can be frustrating to deal with Insurance Companies. If you are handling medical bills or an auto accident, chances are, you are under stress. Without knowing the ins and outs of how an Insurance Company operates it can seem near impossible to communicate with your Insurance Company to get your families claims taken care of. Insurance Companies deny claims hoping that you won't appeal and most times making it difficult for you to appeal. We see it weekly in the in the explanation of benefits we process at the clinic where a claim is incorrectly denied. The sooner you deal with your Insurance Company to correct the errors the better. From the different forms they send out to you, to the "Insurance Lingo" it can make things difficult to get you claims reprocessed. Don't hesitate to call your provider's office and ask for help in understanding the situation. We can provide an action plan to get your claims reprocessed. If you are paying for insurance benefits do

When it comes to keeping our internal organs healthy, we usually hear lots of advice for the brain and heart. We do not hear too much information on how best to take care of our liver. Although it may not have a high profile in the health media like the brain and heart do, our liver is extremely important to our survival. The liver performs a number of important functions: • Filters blood and remove toxins • Produces substances important for blood clotting • Stores nutrients for future use • Processes medicine • Breaks down saturated fat With all these essential tasks, you can see how it is key for you to take good care of your liver, but how do you actually maintain the health of this organ? In this issue of Wellness Express, we look at problems that affect the liver and lifestyle changes and herbal substances that can help protect it. Problems of the Liver Your liver can be affected by a number of serious conditions. Cirrhosis This liver condition is the 12th leadi

Have you done your stretches?” You probably hear this question all the time from your chiropractor. But why is stretching so important to your health? It all has to do with proper alignment in the musculoskeletal system. The Musculoskeletal System Your skeleton is a collection of over 200 bones that give your body its shape and structure. In between adjacent bones you have joints, or articulation, and holding the joints together, are ligaments. These are the main components of the system that gives your body support, protects your vital organs, and allows for the foundation around which movement occurs. The skeletal system is a static structure on its own. However, when you add muscles you create a dynamic, functional musculoskeletal system capable of performing work, maintaining an upright posture, transporting your body from one place to another, and allowing for personal expression using language and gestures. With few exceptions (like the movement of the eye or tongue), a