South Windsor Neck & Back -January 2018

South Windsor Neck & Back -January 2018

Spinal The

COLUMN JAN 2018

860.644.2437 WWW.FUNCTIONFORLIFE.COM When All Else Fails, We’re There to Help

Mrs. Stroud

I n the past few years, I’ve seen a steady increase in the number of patients who are desperate for relief. Usually, these patients have tried nearly every treatment under the sun and been bounced between an array of different medical experts, only to find their pain stubbornly persisting. I find it incredibly gratifying to help these people, who have nearly lost hope for a pain-free life, who’ve been told by others that their problem is incurable or manageable only through a huge pile of daily pills. There’s one case I’m particularly proud of which I believe truly encapsulates the meaning behind the work I do. A couple years back, a patient in her mid-40s came in with a few serious health concerns. She had worked for a printing company for a long time, until one day, while trying to fix a machine that had short-circuited, she was electrocuted. The event did immediate damage to her nervous system, and within three days, she was experiencing an array of completely debilitating symptoms. First, her hearing began to give out. Then she started to have episodes of intense pressure behind her eyes. Eventually, this led to migraines, accompanied by a stabbing pain in her skull and an intense aversion to light and noise. Performing everyday tasks became almost impossible. No matter which doctor she saw, nobody was able to determine the root cause of her neurological distress. All they could offer were medications, which, while they certainly helped mitigate the painful migraines, failed to provide any meaningful respite from the struggle she was living with daily. Over the next few months and many more tests, they told her that she would probably never be able to work again, and that she’d have to keep taking these drugs for the rest of her life.

her story, and her frustrations. It turned out she’d been reluctant to come into the office at all, as she was afraid of chiropractors, but her husband had been seeing me for some time and had encouraged her to let me investigate. I determined that during her electrocution, the current had caused severe muscle spasms, particularly in her neck and shoulders. As a result, the nerves at the base of her skull had become pinched, obstructing the regular operation of her nervous system. Mindful of her apprehension toward chiropractors, I put her on a nonaggressive treatment plan. For the first three months of treatment, she came in about three times a week, and I’d perform a few adjustments, steadily easing the pressure off her spine and nervous system. Gradually, her symptoms started to disappear. First, the headaches came with less frequency, then less intensity, then not at all. The pressure behind her eyes vanished, and her back began to recover. Over the next year and a half, her body returned almost completely to normal, allowing her to go back not only to work, but to resume her studies in school. She quit the medication and stepped back into her normal, everyday life. Stories like this are the reason I became a chiropractor. That patient is still going strong, coming in every two weeks to maintain her condition. She and her family are incredibly grateful, and their kind words mean the world. I’m just happy to work in a profession in which I get to help people get back to their ordinary lives. -Dr. Chris Colby

After about a month of this, the patient made her way to South Windsor Neck & Back, where I listened carefully to her descriptions of the painful episodes,

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Ways Travel

Can ransform Your Kids

When you go on a trip, whether it’s a quick jaunt to a neighboring town or a weeklong stay in an exotic locale, you interact with new people and cultures. It’s one thing to hear someone talk about the laid-back vibes of theWest Coast, but you can’t really feel them for yourself until you’ve meandered through the redwoods or watched the sun set over Puget Sound. Now, imagine the positive effects this kind of cultural awakening could have on a young mind! While we tend to think about the worst-case scenarios and added stresses of traveling with kids, they

theory of evolution was conceived, or having the chance to talk about the beginnings of the RevolutionaryWar while strolling through Minute Man National Historical Park in Massachusetts. If you live in a state with a rich history, make it a point to visit one of the nearby museums. If you’re planning a vacation abroad, incorporate visits to historical sites. Take the opportunity to learn as a family! 2. They’ll pick up new skills. In addition to learning about history, your childmay discover a new skill. They may learn a bit of conversational Spanish during a trip to Mexico or they might play soccer with a group of children and realize they have a knack for it. By fostering a sense of healthy curiosity about new places, you’ll help your child feel confident enough to branch out of their comfort zone andmake new friends at home and on the road. 3. They’ll understand compassion. After a trip to Fiji, Lonely Planet Kids writer Patrick Kinsella found that, long after they returned, his eldest daughter continued to reflect on her experience.“It’s an eye- andmind-opening experience, especially for Ivy, who has never before considered that someone her age might not have a TV, let alone lack electricity,”Kinsella writes.“For many months afterward, Ivy talk[ed] about Po, imagining her Fijian friend’s life.” Because they’re so open-minded, kids are the perfect sponges for new experiences. At the very least, they’ll be less likely to take what they have for granted, and they might even develop an expansive and exploratory worldview.

stand to benefit as much, if not more, from travel as we do. You never know— your son or daughter may realize a passion for a subject that will one day become their career. As you’re plotting destinations for the new year, keep these life-changing possibilities in mind. 1. History will come to life. Yes, your kids will read aboutWorldWar II in school and take state capital quizzes. But in the end, nothing compares to firsthand experiences of culturally significant locations. Imagine showing a child the Galapagos Islands, where Darwin’s famous SUCCESS STORY I was onmy way home one night and was stopped at a light. I was waiting to turn left onto the highway when out of nowhere I was hit on the rear passenger side of my car. This caused the car to spin around once before coming to a standstill. The woman who hit me came running over tomy car, worried that I was injured. I kept telling her that I was fine and not hurt at all, and I truly believed that. The next morning, I woke up with a headache, and it persisted all day. My husband, Dr. Colby, insisted that I come into his office to get checked out. I thought he was being a little dramatic about the situation, but his response was,“You never complain about headaches.”He remindedme that I really had no idea what effect the accident had on my spine. Long story short, tomy surprise, that small accident had done quite a lot. Chris had old X-rays of me that he was able to compare to the X-ray done the very next day after the accident. It was amazing howmuch hadmoved. I could see it withmy own two eyes. I suffered from severe whiplash that hadmoved some of the vertebrae inmy neck. It took days before I felt the soreness, and that soreness persisted for weeks. I really never understood how lucky I was to bemarried to a chiropractor until I was involved in an auto accident.

If I had not beenmarried to Chris, I would have never seen a doctor. I would have chalked up the soreness to sleeping the wrong way in bed. I would have lived with that soreness until the rest of my body had compensated for the moved vertebrae, and who knows what kind of damage that would have caused to the rest of my body 10, 15, or 20 years down the road? It took Chris six months to straighten out what that small accident had done tome. Today, I am a business manager for an automotive dealership. I can’t tell you howmany of my clients come in to buy cars after they have been in an accident. I feel compelled to tell them all about my story and I urge them to see a chiropractor. I feel obligated to share my experience and the lessons I learned from it to help others get the real help they need.

–Angie Colby www.functionforlife.com

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Have Your Symptoms Checked by an Expert

Chiropractic Care 4 BENEFITS OF After a Car Accident

Noninvasive Why go under the knife when you don’t have to? Chiropractic care is a natural solution to dealing with many injuries after an accident. By using techniques such as massage, adjustments, and rehab exercises, you can greatly reduce the intensity of your inflammation and pain. Insurance Coverage Chiropractors are classified as primary care physicians. This means your visit is most likely covered by your insurance, making your care more cost-effective and easier than ever. Chiropractors look at the underlying issues instead of just treating surface-level symptoms. Seeing a chiropractor after an accident can help identify injuries and accelerate your recovery process. These are just a few benefits to seeking chiropractic care. Even if you haven’t been in a car accident, chiropractic care can help combat pain from the top of your spine to the tips of your toes. Call today to find out how.

The damage a car accident can do to your vehicle isn’t nearly as substantial as the damage it can cause to your body. The force of impact can create major trauma on your spine and cause severe side effects. Symptoms like headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, or stiffness can be very common after an accident. The good news is that proper chiropractic care can provide relief. We recommend always seeing a chiropractor after an accident, and here are four reasons why. InjuryDetection Seeing a chiropractor after an accident can help drastically with injury detection because we are trained in skeletal alignment and biomechanics. By having an intimate understanding of the neck and back, a good chiropractor can identify minor issues that a physician may overlook. Identifying these injuries up front could save you a lot of pain in the long run. Natural Solution to Pain After an accident, the alignment of the spine may be off, causing pressure on nerves. By focusing on spinal realignment, we can remove pressure and relieve pain. This can prevent any need for medication or more invasive surgeries.

augh

Recipe inspired by SlowCookerGourmet.net.

Slow Cooker Raspberry

White Hot Chocolate Looking for a way to prepare a warm treat for the kids while they’re out building snowmen? Break out the slow cooker and enjoy the best hot cocoa you’ve ever had!

Ingredients

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2 tablespoons powdered sugar

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1 cup white chocolate chips

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1 teaspoon vanilla

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14 ounces sweetened condensedmilk

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4 tablespoons raspberry liqueur or syrup

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2 cups heavy cream, divided

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3 cups milk (any variety will do)

Directions

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In a slow cooker, combine white chocolate chips, condensed milk, 1 cup cream, and milk. Cover and heat on low about 2 hours. In a large bowl, mix remaining 1 cup cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

3.

Using a hand or stand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Serve mugs of hot chocolate with about 1 tablespoon of raspberry liqueur or syrup to taste and a dollop of whipped cream.

4.

2.

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“Relief today...function for life!”

860.644.2437

860.644.2437

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1330 Sullivan Avenue South Windsor, Connecticut 06074 www.functionforlife.com

Inside This Issue

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Making a Tangible Impact on Our Patients’ Lives

A Trip Will Change Your Child’s Life

Success Story

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I’ve Been in an Accident — Now What? Warm Up With Some Hot Cocoa!

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Make the Best of Bad Weather

Your family’s plans have been blown away by a storm, trapping you inside for the day. You’ve run out of ideas, the kids are bouncing off of the walls, and the collective sighing of“I’m bored”is starting to wear you down. And the worst part? It’s lunch time. So, how are you going to pass the time and keep bellies full? Turn your kitchen into a restaurant! Choose a theme, and help your kids decorate the space. Tablecloths, wall art, and fun place settings are a great place to start. Put on some themed music that corresponds with the type of restaurant you’re opening, and now you really have a party! After the decorating is done, have your kids decide what foods the restaurant will serve, then let them create their own menu— complete with hand-drawn pictures. While they’re completing the menu, take some time to set out ingredients. OPEN Bad Weather? The Kitchen Is

Arrange an assortment of fully cooked foods, and turn food preparation into a taste combination party. Your food and flavor combinations don’t need to match what’s on the menu— that’s what imaginations are for (and the chef’s special). A cracker with toppings could very easily become a fancy pizza! Macaroni and cheese with ham could be a decadent pasta dish never before seen this side of the Mississippi. Once the best combinations have been made, it’s time to eat. Sit down and enjoy your specially prepared meal. If you have time, try to put together some dinner theater. You can make up stories, have a puppet show, or pretend to record a TV commercial to advertise your new restaurant. Now, don’t forget — a good kitchen staff works together to clean up after the restaurant closes for the day!

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“Relief today...function for life!”

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