by Dr. Kevin P Lewis | Mar 13, 2023 | Chiropractic Care, Gonstead
Not every chiropractic method is the same. Not only are there significant differences in patient care and treatment but there are different techniques used to achieve the most desirable results.
The Gonstead technique, which we use at the Greenville Spine Institute, was developed by Dr. Clarence Selmer Gonstead (1898-1978). It “utilizes several methods of examination to analyze multiple factors, which, as effectively as possible, uncovers the primary characteristics of intervertebral disc lesions, intervertebral and full spine and pelvis alignment, as well as neurological ramifications of vertebral subluxation and full body health.”
The Gonstead Chiropractic Technique is a unique and effective treatment that consists of five main aspects, each one geared towards specialized and individualized treatment of the patient to accomplish their own goals. This method is so effective because it analyzes the spine through these five ways, making it a comprehensive and thorough method to treat patients.
X-Rays
Normally you don’t think of x-rays in a chiropractor’s office but this is a key tool in the Gonstead method. We are able to take pictures of the full spine to see each vertebrae and identify subluxations (a point where joints are not aligned correctly and cause inflammation). Additionally, we use motion x-rays to identify misalignments in the spine. X-rays are taken during the initial exam and throughout the treatment process to measure progress and catch any outlying issues.
Restoring alignment and motion to patients are of critical importance in the Gonstead method.
Palpitation
Palpitation takes into account the tone, temperature, and texture of the spine through both motion and static examinations. Subluxations often cause swelling and a warmer temperature, which we can feel through the skin. Tightness also indicates a spot that needs to be adjusted. Many of our patients are surprised that we know exactly where they are in pain when we do an exam – this is the reason.
Checking the spine through motion can also tell us exactly where subluxations are and where an adjustment is needed.
Instrumentation
We use a tool called a Nervoscope, which runs along the spine to detect small changes in temperatures. This helps to identify subluxations. It’s a key component of the Gonstead technique and essential in the care of patients. This is a painless instrument that feels like two fingers running along the sides of the spine.
Visualization
The Gonstead method is not a one-size-fits-all technique, which is one of the reasons it is the gold standard in chiropractic techniques. Every patient is different and every body is different. By looking at the patient – their gait, their posture, how they move – we are able to assess where improvements can be made to restore each patient to their maximum potential.
Greenville Spine takes into account the lifestyle of each patient, their specific goals, their specific challenges they are facing, and their specific body and how it works.
Case Management
Case Management is just looking at the patient’s overall health and using that information to determine best treatment. Chiropractic care is looking at the entire puzzle, not just piece by piece. It is essential to take into account all aspects of a patient’s health to figure out what will work best for them and how to help them achieve their goals.
In the Gonstead method, frequent check-ins with patients that include things like updating at-home exercises, adding new stretches, taking into account current workloads and life changes, and conducting x-rays are some of the most important ways that make the Gonstead method stand out amongst all the other chiropractic techniques.
By treating each patient as a unique individual instead of using a blanket method for everyone, is a key reason why this method is so successful. To learn more about the Gonstead Chiropractic Method, you can check out the Gonstead website.
Taking the next step
Ready to take the next step in your health and see why the Gonstead method is successful? Give us a call at (864) 631-1420 and let’s get you started on accomplishing all your health goals.
by Greenville Spine Institute | Feb 14, 2023 | Chiropractic Care
It’s February. You may have already fallen off the wagon of your New Year’s resolutions. Many people do and that’s totally normal! But consistency is so important to reaching your goals, whatever they may be, and it is a huge part of successful chiropractic care. So if you resolved to be healthier this year, to finally get those back and neck issues checked out like you’ve been wanting to do for awhile, here’s your sign.
What is consistency?
Being consistent with something is committing to it wholeheartedly and doing it over and over again. When you’re learning times tables in second or third grade, if you don’t practice them over and over again and are consistent with your dedicated time, you’re not going to learn them.
Or if you resolved to cook healthier meals this year but don’t make the effort to be consistent with meal planning and grocery shopping, reaching that goal is going to feel like an impossibility.
With chiropractic care, after your initial assessment with Greenville Spine, an individualized plan is put together with your specific health and goals in mind, which includes regular adjustments and exercises. If you don’t follow through with consistency, reaching your goals is going to be hard.
Once you start your treatment plan, there are other aspects of your life that can also be aided by consistency.
Consistency in diet
With regular adjustments, most of our patients start seeing positive results quickly. In the beginning, patients usually come at least a couple times a week as we dive right into the treatment plan and help patients to start off on a good foot and reach their goals.
Eating a healthy and balanced diet on a consistent basis is a great way to supplement the good changes you will be seeing after your adjustments. Drinking enough water, eating enough greens and vegetables, and balancing your diet is very helpful to ensuring good results overall.
Consistency in exercise
Our bodies are built for movement and exercise is an important aspect of overall health, which is why it needs to be done consistently. The benefits of exercise are vast: better sleep, healthier immune system, reduced risk of chronic heart disease or developing health issues down the road, and stronger bones.
Exercise and chiropractic care go hand-in-hand. So many of our patients at Greenville Spine are athletes or former athletes who want to get back into consistent exercise or want to train to run a long race. Chiropractic care helps patients to optimize their bodies and functions, including many related to exercise and sports, which in turn helps them to perform better and hopefully be more motivated to get into a consistent exercise routine.
Consistency in sleeping
One in three Americans report getting less than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night, according to the CDC. Consistency in sleep is crucial to a healthy lifestyle. Making a commitment to go to bed at a certain time, putting down the electronics, and turning off the light can help with anxiety, focus, mood, and immune system functions.
With consistent chiropractic care, many of our patients report sleeping so much better than before treatment. This is true no matter what kind of ailments our patients come to us with. It’s a pleasure to see our patients so rested and we always urge them to exercise consistency when making a sleep schedule to maximize their positive results of treatment.
Don’t let those resolutions pass you by
If you’re reading this and remembering your new year’s resolutions that may have fallen to the wayside, it’s not too late to try again. Give us a call and we would be more than happy to get you on the right track to wherever it is that you want to be and help you. With the right consistency and dedication to your health, we can help you obtain a pain-free life. Give us a call to schedule your initial assessment. We’ll listen to you. We’ll talk about options. Give us a call at (864) 631-1420.
by Greenville Spine Institute | Jan 8, 2023 | Chiropractic Care
We are in the midst of a terrible flu, RSV, and cold season. Doctors have warned this season is one of the worst they’ve seen as viruses run rampant through families, schools, workplaces, daycares, and community groups. While it is essential to get enough rest, exercise, water, and make healthy food choices to avoid getting sick, chiropractic care can play a key role in keeping you in tip top shape.
It’s all about the lymphatic system
The lymphatic system plays a huge role in your health. This system acts as a filter to get out the bacteria and viruses that could cause you harm. It does that through the lymph, which are made up of white blood cells, the soldiers of your immune system. Have you been to the doctor for a sick visit and they feel under your jaw line? They are checking to see if your lymph nodes are swollen, a sure sign that your body is fighting some kind of infection.
The bad stuff that the lymphatic system filters out goes through lymph ducts, many of which are located along your spine and neck. What happens when your spine and neck are out of alignment? Those ducts get blocked and can’t filter out harmful pathogens and you get sick
Cost effectiveness of chiropractic care for the flu
Your trained and experienced chiropractor can make sure that any misalignments are corrected through regular visits so that when cold and flu season does hit, your body’s immune system is ready to attack whatever viruses or bacteria that come your way. Regular adjustments should be added to your healthy regiment just like exercise, healthy eating, and drinking lots of water are on the list.
By putting chiropractic care at the top of your list for staying healthy, you are taking steps to reduce costs if you do fall ill. Doctors visits and prescriptions add up quickly, along with the side effects of those drugs. By consistently taking care of your body all year, you will be healthier and stronger when faced with flu season.
Multiple studies show that people who regularly see a chiropractor are healthier overall and rack up less medical costs. This applies to both adults and kids.
Decongesting with Adjustments
As in all chiropractic care, the goal is to keep you healthy and pain free, which is accomplished through non-invasive methods of aligning your spine to make sure communication channels are open and operating at top levels from your brain throughout your entire nervous system. Why? So that messages go where they need to go and your body acts in the ways it was designed to act, which means kicking out harmful bacteria or viruses.
This is a natural method of decongesting, which should be done while you’re still healthy but can also be done when you are sick.
Evidence of the Effectiveness of Adjustments
One study on a nearly two-year-old little girl who was suffering from chronic ear infections and respiratory tract infections showed remarkable improvement after consistent adjustments during chiropractic visits. Her family had tried multiple medical interventions from nebulizers to antibiotics to bronchodilators for a year and a half and the child was not improving. She was taken to a chiropractor, who found multiple vertebral subluxations, which were interfering with the functioning of her nervous system. These vertebral subluxations were targeted during spinal adjustments and within one month, the ear infections were gone and within three months, the child was off the nebulizer and without any symptoms of RSV.
Studying the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments would serve to help so many people suffering from common winter viruses and hopefully they will be taken up in the medical community. Yet anecdotal evidence that chiropractic care helps to not only assist patients who are not feeling well but goes a long way to prevent patients from having a harder time if they do get sick.
Besides this method being effective for those suffering from flu and colds, the Greenville Spine Institute has seen success in patients who have had cancer and chemotherapy. Regular adjustments have been very helpful in aiding in the reduction of pain and correcting misalignments in the spine to help heal the body faster.
Taking Steps to Beat the Cold Season
If you already feel great during this current cold and flu season, that’s a great time to come in for an assessment to see how Greenville Spine can help keep you on the right path and give your immune system even more of a boost to keep you healthy and pain-free. If you’re struggling to feel better, that’s also a great time to be assessed and see how our experienced and compassionate chiropractors can get you on the road to better health.
In the meantime, don’t neglect exercise, choosing healthy foods, and steps to reduce stress in your life. If you’d like to come into our office for a consultation on how we can help you, please call Greenville Spine at (864) 631-1420.
by Greenville Spine Institute | Dec 6, 2022 | Chiropractic Care
When Mariah Carey sang, “All I Want for Christmas is You” at a chiropractors convention in Las Vegas way back in the 2000s, maybe she really meant it. Or maybe she just needed the work. Either way, wishing for a great chiropractor for Christmas isn’t a bad idea at all.
Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up Christmas morning without that kink in your neck or the pinch in your back or that pounding headache? Wouldn’t it be nice to know your kid, who is playing soccer, is healing quickly from his injury or that your child’s digestive issues are finally being resolved? All these things are possible with a well-trained and experienced chiropractor who listens to patients and creates and executes a personalized treatment plan for them.
Wishing for a great chiropractor this Christmas should be at the top of your gift list for all of the reasons above and many more.
Ailments Chiropractors Can Help With
While some people think that chiropractors just crack backs for a living, our main goal is to use natural methods to work with the body to achieve optimal living conditions and a virtually painless existence. We want our patients to be happy and healthy.
There are a multitude of ailments that chiropractors can help a patient with, including:
- Migraines
- Digestive issues
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Nursing problems with babies
- Sleeping issues
Ready to put a chiropractor on your Christmas wish list yet?
Side Effects of Chiropractic Care
Since chiropractic care is 100 percent natural, there are no side effects that you would normally see using medication. Sometimes you may be sore in the spot where you had the adjustment but there really aren’t side effects to be concerned about if you see a licensed and experienced chiropractor. Trusting just anyone to adjust your spine is not recommended. At Greenville Spine, we have extensive experience helping thousands of people to live their lives without pain.
In fact, at Greenville Spine Institute, we have a 98% success rate in helping patients to achieve their desired results. It takes a lot of work and effort on both the part of the chiropractor and patient but through the use of diligent adjustments, exercises, and a personalized treatment plan, the success rate is very high.
While most gifts under your Christmas tree don’t come with side effects either (well, maybe that drone will if you get hit in the head with it), seeing an excellent chiropractor will pay dividends for your health in the long term versus a gift that won’t last a fraction of that time.
Making the Time for Health
Working in time for your health is no easy task with the demands of everyday life but it can be done if given priority. Yet it’s not just your own health that a chiropractor can help.
Chiropractors are excellent for:
- Nursing infants
- Kids in sports
- Kids who are in the midst of painful growth spurts
- College-aged young adults who aren’t getting the rest they need
- Busy moms and dads shuttling their kids all over the place
- People sitting at a desk all day at work
- Those who are doing heavy lifting as part of their jobs
- Grandparents lifting their grandbabies.
The list is endless. Chiropractic care is vital to any number of people at any stage of life. Chiropractic care does not seek to mask symptoms but rather get to the root cause and develop a treatment plan to tackle the issue head on.
For most patients, the first few months of treatment are the most time intensive. Each case is different but the time spent finding solutions, going to the adjustments, and doing the exercises are never wasted. All of that time is an investment into your own health or the health of your loved ones.
Getting that Christmas Wish
If you’d like to come into our office for a consultation on how we can help you, please call Greenville Spine at (864) 631-1420. We’d love to see how we can help you live a pain-free life.
If you want to give the gift of a great chiropractor to a friend or family member, gift cards are available or you can send them for their first initial consultation. This is a gift that surely won’t go to waste at Christmastime.
by Greenville Spine Institute | Nov 22, 2022 | Chiropractic Care
You hear enough about taking care of yourself during the holidays when it comes to eating well, handling an insane schedule, and avoiding stressful dinners with families. But what about pre-holiday prep? Have you thought about how a chiropractor could help you handle the holiday season with less stress while keeping you healthy and feeling restful? In this blog, you will learn why seeing a chiropractor can help you prepare for the busy holiday season and keep you healthy and happy into the New Year.
Traveling and Chiropractic Care
Thanksgiving and Christmas are the top travel holidays of the year, which means a lot of sitting and waiting and cramped seats and stressful driving or flying. Can you feel your shoulders tensing already? Keeping your appointments with your chiropractor is crucial to making sure you’re in the best shape possible when it comes time for travel.
If your spine is properly aligned, all those stresses of travel will wreck a lot less havoc on your body than if your spine is not properly aligned or you’ve been skipping those chiropractic appointments. As soon as you’re able to get back into the office for your regular adjustments after travel, be sure to get back into your regular routine.
And because Greenville Spine’s care is tailored exactly to your individual needs, we’ll be able to adjust your care accordingly to your lifestyle and unexpected events that may quite literally put a kink in your neck or back.
Mental Health and Chiropractic Care
When the spine is properly aligned, the brain has a clear pathway throughout the nervous system to send the signals necessary to regulate everything it needs to, including the signals necessary to respond to stress and anxiety. Many people don’t think of chiropractic care as having mental health benefits but it does.
Research shows that there are many ways in which chiropractic care can help with anxiety relief.
- First, chiropractic helps relieve the pressure that misaligned bones cause on nerves in your body, creating an even flow between one’s brain and body to communicate freely.
- Second, chiropractic adjustments have been shown to help anxiety relief by releasing your body’s happy hormones like oxytocin and helps decrease cortisol levels which increase the stress in one’s body. Decreased cortisol levels also help one get a better night’s sleep.
- Chiropractic care has also been shown to lower blood pressure and relieve muscle tension.
We all need those happy hormones come the holiday season. A better night’s sleep, lower blood pressure, and relief from muscle tension are also high on most people’s wish lists. Chiropractic care can help with all of these issues.
Digestion and Chiropractic Care
The holidays usually mean an overabundance of food. All that sitting and eating and sitting and digesting really take a toll on one’s body, even when you are trying to eat in moderation. Digestive issues can flare up during the holidays and really, who wants those kinds of problems in the midst of the Christmas spirit? No one.
Chiropractic care can be a crucial component of getting digestive issues under control through proper alignment of the spine, which directly aids in open communication lines between the brain and nervous system. The alignment of the spine is of utmost importance in the body because of the communication lines that the brain demands to be open in order to work properly.
For digestive issues like GERD, IBS, acid reflux, lactose intolerance, bloating, and constipation, chiropractic care can be a lifesaver. If nerves in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the back are pinched, that can cause significant digestive problems. One study done by the International Surgery Journal in 2012 showed that two-thirds of patients who had chronic abdominal pain also had a herniated disc. Two-thirds of those patients had been previously diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. While this is just one study, the circumstantial evidence I’ve seen in my own chiropractic care practice shows a definitive link between misalignment of the spine and digestive problems. Thankfully, many of my patients have obtained the relief they needed after a treatment plan was designed and executed.
Ready to see if a chiropractor can help you?
Don’t miss out on the Christmas spirit because of pain or anxiety or digestive problems. There are solutions to these problems that are completely natural and pain-free. Here at Greenville Spine, we want to do everything possible to help you obtain relief and live a pain-free life. Give us a call to schedule your initial assessment. We’ll listen to you. We’ll talk about options. Give us a call at (864) 631-1420.
by Greenville Spine Institute | Oct 15, 2022 | Chiropractic Care
If you missed the first blog post on migraines, what they are and what causes them, you may want to read that one first. If you are already a patient with a history of migraines and know enough about them and are searching for how chiropractic care can help you, then, by all means, read on.
Can chiropractors successfully treat migraines?
That’s the real question, right? You’re reading this because either you suffer from migraines yourself and are looking for answers or you are trying to find help for a loved one. The short answer is yes, chiropractors are uniquely qualified to aid in migraine relief.
Besides relief from migraines and recurring migraines, seeing an excellent chiropractor for migraine care removes any kind of side effect, which can be detrimental to some people who suffer from migraines and take drugs prescribed for that purpose. And those drugs aren’t treating the underlying tension, neck pain, and inflammation that many migraines stem from.
Migraines and Chiropractors
A 2011 study on chiropractic care for migraines through spinal manipulation showed that this type of care could be as effective as conventional medications such as propranolol (Inderal) and topiramate (Topamax) – but without any negative side effects.
A more recent survey from 2017 looked at 1,869 chiropractors to determine how many of them were caring for patients with migraines. More than half (53%) reported a caseload heavy with patients who suffered from migraines.
Chiropractic care for migraines
As mentioned in the previous blog post, the medical community believes changes in brain chemicals can trigger migraines:
They think many brain chemicals — such as serotonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and dopamine — play a role. According to the theory, a wave of nerve cell activity spreads across the brain and excites the trigeminal nerve. This causes the release of neurotransmitters that trigger a change in the size of blood vessels, releasing more neurotransmitters and finally causing an inflammatory process and pain.
Chiropractic care aims directly to reduce inflammation because of how much pain it can wreck in the body when not addressed. When there are subluxations (a point where joints are not aligned correctly and cause inflammation) in the spine, nerves cannot connect where they are supposed to and signals from the brain to different parts of the body are inhibited. Chiropractors aim to remove those subluxations, which can significantly help the body to do what it’s supposed to do without any obstacles to communication.
The body is a complex system that needs to have those open avenues of communication throughout the spine – if the avenues are blocked by subluxations, the brain won’t be able to send those signals, and brain chemicals, where they need to go. How does this all relate to migraines? Inflammation is caused by subluxations, which could be related to an increase in migraines (among other issues). Therefore, when a chiropractor adjusts the body to decrease or remove those subluxations in order that the body can work as it should, migraines may lessen in the patient.
Chiropractic care can also address the tightness in the shoulders and neck, which can lead to migraines, as well work to reduce stress in the body, which can also help reduce migraines. And by working only with all-natural remedies, chiropractors are often a wealth of knowledge on vitamins and minerals that work well to reduce migraines and will work with patients on their individual treatment plans to include these if needed.
Ready to see if a chiropractor can help you?
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely been suffering from migraines or know someone close to you who has. They are a terrible ailment to have and here at Greenville Spine, we want to do everything possible to help you obtain relief and live a pain-free life. Give us a call to schedule your initial assessment. We’ll listen to you. We’ll talk about options. And hopefully we’ll get you on a path to living that life you want without migraines. Give us a call at (864) 631-1420.
