Author Archives: Dr. Bourdage

Why Chiropractic Care is Awesome

Chiropractic care has been growing in popularity as a natural and holistic approach to healing and pain management. Chiropractic treatments primarily focus on the spine and musculoskeletal system, but it can also provide relief for other conditions, such as headaches, sports injuries, and pregnancy-related pain. Here are some reasons why chiropractic care is awesome and why you should consider it as part of your healthcare routine.

Natural and non-invasive approach

Chiropractic is a non-invasive and drug-free approach to healing. Unlike other medical treatments, chiropractic care does not rely on prescription drugs or invasive procedures, making it a safe and effective alternative for individuals who prefer a more natural approach to health and wellness.

Improved mobility and flexibility

Chiropractic adjustments can help improve mobility and flexibility by realigning the spine and joints. This, in turn, can alleviate pain and discomfort associated with restricted movement.

Pain relief

Chiropractic care has been found to be effective in treating back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Chiropractors use a combination of techniques, such as spinal adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and exercise rehabilitation, to provide pain relief and promote healing.

Improved posture

Poor posture can lead to a variety of health problems, including back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Chiropractic care can help improve posture by correcting spinal misalignments and muscle imbalances.

Overall health and wellness

Chiropractic is not just about treating specific conditions or symptoms. Regular chiropractic adjustments can help promote overall health and wellness by improving the function of the nervous system, boosting the immune system, and reducing stress.

In conclusion, chiropractic is an awesome natural approach to healing and pain management. If you are struggling with pain, discomfort, or just want to improve your overall health and wellness, consider visiting a chiropractor to see if chiropractic care is right for you. You can request an appointment here.

Top Healthy Habits

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and forget to take care of our bodies. But by incorporating healthy habits into our daily routine, we can ensure that we are doing our best to keep our bodies in top shape. Here are some of the top healthy habits to help you stay on track:

1. Eat a Balanced Diet: Eating a balanced diet is essential for maintaining your health. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods and sugary snacks that can lead to weight gain and other health issues.

2. Exercise Regularly: Exercise is one of the best ways to stay healthy and fit. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day and vary the type of exercise to keep it interesting.

3. Get Enough Sleep: Sleep is essential for your body’s natural healing and recovery process. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to make sure you are well-rested and ready to take on the day.

4. Manage Stress: Stress can have a major impact on your physical and mental health. Make sure to take time to relax and unwind each day to help manage stress levels.

5. Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is essential for your body to function properly. Aim for 8 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and healthy.

6. Get adjusted. Chiropractic adjustments keep your spine, posture and body functioning at its best.

These are just a few of the top healthy habits that you can incorporate into your lifestyle. By making changes to your daily routine, you can ensure that you are doing your best to stay healthy and fit.

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Chiropractic and Carpal Tunnel

I’d like to share an amazing success story with you that involves chiropractic and carpal tunnel. I had a patient, let’s call her Sue. She came to our office with carpal tunnel symtoms. She had surgery 6 months ago for her carpal tunnel. Sue said the surgery gave her about 6 months of relief, but now the same exact symptoms she was having before her surgery were back again. Sue was frustrated. She had this surgery and is essentially back to where she was day 1. During our consult together I asked her how her neck feels. She responded with “my neck hurts all the time, but it’s my hands that concern me because they are numb.” I continued to ask some basic history questions. I learned that no doctor had ever looked at or examined her neck in the past. This is important because there are certain levels in your neck that send nerves down into your hands and arms. Before opting to have a surgery, ensure that all possible causes of carpal tunnel have been investigated.

We started the exam with looking at Sue’s neck. I examined the area by feeling the muscles, the spinal alignment and motion, and various orthopedic tests. Their was a lot of muscles tightness, spinal restrictions, forward head posture and signs of nerve impingement. The icing on the cake was the neck X-rays we took. The X-rays showed degeneration at the C4-C6 levels. This is the exact area the nerves leave the spine and travel down into the arm and hand. I explained all this to Sue and asked her if she was ready to start healing and feeling better. Of course she was ready! She had been suffering with this for too long.

Chiropractic Treament

We began treatment right away. Our visits together initially consisted of chiropractic adjustments and some muscle work. As Sue’s neck started to feel better and have less tension, we started working on posture correction as well. Within 3 visits she started noticing relief and improvements. Her neck feeling better, she had less numbness and tingling in her hands and more strength in her hands. She stated she was having less headaches and more energy which I didn’t even know were issues to begin with! (Please tell your chiropractor about all your symptoms!)

10 visits into Sue’s chiropractic treatment and she was feeling so much better. She was feeling better than she could have imagined. I’m excited to see her continual progress and at the end of her treatment plan we will take some updated X-rays to see the changes her spine has undergone. Not only do I want to know she is feeling better, I want to see that we made physical changes to her spinal structure, so we know it’s a long-term correction and not just a band-aid fix.

Do You Have Carpal Tunnel

Have you been diagnosed with carpal tunnel? Have you been told that you need to have a surgery? Chiropractic and carpal tunnel can be a life changer for you. I urge you to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. In my office we will do a full history, examination and X-rays of necessary. If I cannot help you, I will help to point you in the right direction of someone who can. Stories like Sue’s are not uncommon in my office. My goal is to help people avoid unnecessary medications and surgeries. Give us a call or request an appointment online, I’d love to help you!

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

The Next Best Thing

New Years is upon us. It’s the time of year when most people make some sort of resolution and most of the time, they are health related. We all know how that goes, by February you’ll probably forget what the resolution even was. Let’s be honest, we all suck at new years resolutions. I want to present you with another idea. I call it the next best thing.

Take 5-10 minutes and sit in silence. No phones, computers, kids or other distractions and ask yourself this question: “What is the next best thing I can do for my health?” I bet you won’t even need 5-10 minutes. Most people can answer this question within a minute or so.

Intuitively, we already know the answer to this question. The answer will be different for everyone, and it should be. We are all at a different point in our lives and health journey. Don’t get your answers from social media, or your spouse, or TV, or even from this blog post. Get if from within you. You already have the answer.

What is the next best thing you can do to improve your health in 2023. Focus on one thing. Instead of saying I want to lose weight, what is the one singular change you can make that will lead to losing weight? Something like, I will stop snacking after dinner is much easier to focus on and will lead to significant weight loss. I will stop drinking pop, I will eliminate desserts, I will give up french fries. Pick one small thing that will lead to the big thing.

Most people give up on their resolutions because they are too big and lofty. Start small.

What Next best Thing Should I Pick

Don’t be afraid to pick a next best thing that deals with mental, emotional or spiritual health. All of these are important and connected to physical health. Next best things like, starting marriage counseling, joining a men’s/women’s group, praying, meditating, reading one book a month are all great health goals too.

Physical health goals are also a great choice too. So many people say they want to exercise more. That is very vague. I will walk 3 mornings a week, I will go to the gym 3 times a week, I will do 50 pushups everyday. Remember, small things lead to big things. Chunk it down to bite size pieces and start chewing on those!

The list is endless. There are so many small, next best things you can choose from. Go within yourself and see what your inuition is telling you.

Write it down, commit to it, and maybe even tell a close friend to help keep you accountable.

I get excited at this time of the year. I love a new chapter, a fresh start. Let’s work together to make this our best year yet! I’m on your team and would love to help you in any way I can. The next best thing will bring you so much closer to a better you. Good luck!!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chicago Lincolnwood Chiropractor | Bourdage Chiropractic

Movement For Health

How much movement do you have in your day? Do you get your 10,000 steps a day? Do you workout or exercise? These are questions I like to ask of my patients because movement is so important, and most of us do not get enough of it. Movement for health is imperative. You cannot reach your full potential without movement.

The human body is a perfectly designed machine. And this machine is designed to move. Never has there been a time in evolution where we have been as inactive as we are currently. We used to walk miles per day just to get to our food or water sources. We used to have to carry things. We used to have to squat (to poop). Our jobs used to be phsically demanding. Now we go from our beds to the kitchen table to our car and then to our desk. Because of the comforts of modern society our health is suffering! We are softer, more sick and less happy than ever before. It is my opinion that this is because of our lack of movement in our day.

There is a great book called “The Comfort Crisis” by Michael Easter that I highly recommend that dives into this on a deeper level. BOOK – Michael Easter (eastermichael.com)

What to Do?

If you spend one hour a day exercising, that is still 23 hours of your day that you are sedentary. In my opinion that is still considered a sedentary lifestyle! I’m not saying you should not workout, but what I am saying is you have to find ways to incorporate movement into your day throughout the day. The only way to do this is to be intentional about it.

Some examples of things you can do are:

Park further away

If it’s a mile or less away find another way to get there besides your car.

Take the stairs instead of an escalator or elevator. (only 2% of the population take the stairs if there is an escalator nearby) Be a 2%er!

Do some pushups while you wait for your coffee to brew or your shower to warm-up.

Walk around the block while you wait for your oil change or yours kids activities to finish.

Play at the park with your kids.

Learn a new physical skill like a cartwheel, handstand, archery, stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, rock climbing, salsa dancing etc… the list and possibilities are endless.

Movement is Not OnlyExercise

When I ask my patients about their movement they often answer me with the status of how often they go to the gym. Like we talked about above, movement doesn’t only happen in the gym. As a matter of fact, the movement that is happening outside of the gym is more important! Depending on what you do in the gym it may not even be that functional. Functional movement is movement that occurs that is useful in everyday life. Many exercises at the gym are very unnatural and not a pattern of movement that even happen in everyday life.

Let’s take a look at the bench press exercise. How often in real life do we have to lay on a flat surface and push a weight or object away from us? Pretty much never! But many people do this exercise in search of becoming stronger or having a better-looking chest. I find for many people that excessive bench pressing causes more problems than creating a benefit. Shoulder pain, poor posture and neck pain can result from excessive bench pressing. It doesn’t jive with our modern lifestyles which already create excessively rounded shoulders and tight chest muscles.

If you need help finding ways to add more movement into your daily routine, let’s talk. When you are in the office for your next adjustment I can help. I love assisting people in finding ways to better their health. Better movement for health is the goal, I can help you achieve it.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Lincolnwood Chiropractor

Chiropractor for Low Back Pain

The number one thing that brings people into my office is low back pain. Seeing a Chiropractor for low back pain should be your first choice when trying to find relief. At Bourdage Chiropractic in Lincolnwood, IL we have great success in helping people who are suffering from low back pain. There are many options when choosing how to deal with your low back pain. Chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, family doctor, orthopedic doctor, etc… Chiropractors specialize in discovering why you are having the pain and correcting that so not only do you feel better, but we create a long-term correction to the issue.

At our office, if your condition indicates it, we will take X-rays and do a thorough exam to determine what is the cause of your low back pain. Once we put the pieces of the puzzle together, we determine what will be the best course of treatment to correct your low back pain as efficiently as possible.

Low back pain can be very debilitating. I’ve had many people carried into my office because they were in so much pain they could not walk. Many times, people who are experiencing 10/10 pain on the pain scale don’t think a chiropractor can help because the intensity of their pain is so high. These people often times go to the ER and are treated with muscle relaxers and pain killers. This type of treatment may lessen the pain, but it does very little for fixing the problem. Why not come see us where we can get you pain relief and also start the healing process to get you back to normal.

Why we are Different

A part of the healing process is the financial aspects of the care you receive. Health insurance can be very confusing. We will let you know the costs for your care upfront, so there are no surprises. I’ve heard more than enough stories from patients about how they have all this treatment and care from providers and then months later receive a big bill in the mail that was a total surprise to the patient. I hate that as much as you do. We will discuss the finances of your care upfront to make sure there are no surprises!

Chicagoland Chiropractic for Pain Relief

If you live in the Chicagoland area, Bourdage Chiropractic is a great option for you. We are located right off the 94 expressway and can be reached easily from anywhere in the Chicago area. I have many patients that come from the far north suburbs, downtown Chicago and even the western suburbs. As of this writing, August 2022 we also have appointments available on Saturdays for your convenience.

Request an appointment right here

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage

Lincolnwood Chiropractor

Bourdage Chiropractic in Lincolnwood

What makes us different? Here at Bourdage Chiropractic we are a family-owned chiropractic office. My kids grew up here. My wife Bing worked in the office full time during our early years. Often our little babies had to come to work with us. Many of our long-time patients remember these days…as do I. We have grown over the years and Bing is not here as much now that those little babies are growing up. But we still maintain the family office feel. Our employees are often with us for a long time. We treat our employees like we do our patients…we are all family. Bourdage Chiropractic in Lincolnwood is the premier chiropractic office on the northside.

People come to our office in pain. They are not themselves when we first meet them. They are hurting, scared, angry and oftentimes frustrated. To be able to heal, you need to feel at home. That is what we strive to provide here at Bourdage Chiropractic. If you feel at home at our office, you will have better results. We are approachable, relaxed, and easy-going. Yet, we are serious when it comes to your health.

We want what is best for you. If for some reason we are not a good fit for you, or we cannot help you with your condition, I will let you know and help you to find the right doctor’s office for you.

Everyone deserves to live life at their fullest potential. Our job is to help maximize that potential. The better health your spine is in, the less pain and the more enjoyment you will have in life.

Convenient Care Options

Research shows that the number one reason people avoid doctor’s offices is because it is so time consuming. Very rarely are you taken on time for your appointment, and a simple appointment can eat away at your whole day’s plans. Who has time for that? Here at Bourdage Chiropractic we respect your time. When you chose our office, I promise we will respect your time, and deliver results. We are meticulous with our schedule, and 95% of the time we run on schedule. Very rarely will you ever wait in our office, and if you do it will not be longer than 15 minutes.

It is also very convenient to communicate with our office. You can request an appointment via our website here, or you can call or text us directly at 773-545-9379. If you prefer email, we’ve got that covered as well: info@bourdagechiropractic.com.

Also, check us out on:

I look forward to connecting with you and becoming the chiropractic office for you and your family! Bourdage Chiropractic in Lincolnwood is ready to serve you!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Lincolnwood Chiropractor

Chiropractic for a Herniated Disc

Have you been diagnosed with a herniated disc? Have you ever wondered if chiropractic for a herniated disc can help? The answer is a resounding yes! I’d like to share a success story from our office at Bourdage Chiropractic to help prove my point.

Betty came to our office after suffering with symptoms from her herniated disc for about 6 weeks. She was having lower back pain which was radiating into her left hip and leg all the way down to her knee. She rated the pain as a 9/10 on the pain scale and was visibly uncomfortable in all positions. Walking was with a limp, she could not sit still longer than 4-5 minutes and hadn’t slept a full night through since the pain began. To say she was suffering was an understatement. She was miserable!

Before coming into our office she did see her medical doctor who prescribed pain killers, a heavy nerve blocking medication and recommended she schedule a back surgery. Betty scheduled her surgery but it was for 2 months out. In the meantime, she decided to come to our office to see if she could at least get some relief before the surgery. She could not live like this for another 2 months!

Chiropractic to the Rescue

After reviewing her history and performing a thorough exam we were ready to start helping Betty with her herniated disc. Our treatments consisted of Flexion and Distraction, which is a technique to decompress the spinal discs in the lower back, spinal adjustments, some soft tissue work on the muscles around the spine and advice for how to be as comfortable as possible for everyday activities. After Betty’s first adjustment she reported an immediate reduction in pain by about 10%. That may not sound like much, but for someone to have any reduction in pain after so long of suffering brings hope! Hope is an important part of the healing process.

After one month of treatment Betty began decreasing her medications with her doctor’s approval and was walking normally! The pain in her leg had turned from sharp, burning pain to a dull ache or soreness! Her Doctor still recommended she have surgery even though she was improving. I advised her to wait, we still have another month until the surgery anyways, let’s see what happens.

2 weeks after we had that conversation, and 6 weeks after starting chiropractic in our office she cancelled her surgery appointment. She was doing so much better and functioning in her everyday life normally! Some would say it seemed like a miracle, but the truth is, it’s chiropractic. The human body knows how to heal itself, sometimes it just needs some help to optimize that healing.

What about you?

If you are suffering from a herniated disc, or if a loved one is, have you considered chiropractic care? There are times when surgery is needed, but many times it is not. If you have been told you need surgery, have you had a second opinion? If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call or text us at 773-545-9379.

Or, click here: https://bourdagechiropractic.com/appointment-request/ to request an appointment:

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage

Lincolnwood Chiropractor

Chiropractic and Physical Therapy

Many people often ask me, what is the difference between chiropractic and physical therapy? People who are experiencing pain get confused on whether they should see a physical therapist or a chiropractor. I’d like to dive into this topic more with this blog post. Let’s get started with a description of each, how they are similar, how they differ, and which may be the better option for you based on your needs.

Chiropractic

The main focus of chiropractic is the spine. We also work on extremity issues with great success. The basis of our technique though, is spinal health. The human spine is designed to keep us upright (think posture) and to protect the nervous system. Any pain or injury or change to the spine can affect how you feel and how you function. The chiropractor’s job is to find spinal restrictions or injuries and restore movement and position to those areas. By doing this, the body feels better, the body heals better, and the body functions better. Our philosophy is that the body is self-healing. My job as a chiropractor is to help your body heal the best it can through a healthy spial column. Chiropractic is famous for helping people get out of pain, and it is also used to help promote overall health and wellbeing.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists work to help people feel better by addressing musculoskeletal issues through the modalities of stretching, strengthening and sometimes using passive techniques like laser, ultrasound, dry needling, etc… Usually, PT is performed for a set amount of time or visits to restore the patient back to the state they desire, which is typically pain free. Once the patient is pain free, they stop physical therapy.

Which is best for me?

It really depends on what you are looking for. If you want an overall wholistic approach to improving your body’s ability to heal itself than chiropractic is for you. If you are looking for a biomechanical approach to your pain than PT would be a good choice. It does not have to be an either-or decision. Many people choose to use both! There is not a right or wrong answer when it comes to chiropractic and physical therapy. I recommend finding which style you prefer. Most importantly is finding the person you resonate with and enjoy working with, no matter which profession they are in.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Bourdage

Hollow Holds for Core

Hollow holds for core are one of the best exercises you can do to protect your spine. Check out this video for a demonstration:

A good test of core strength is if you can hold this position for one minute. Like I stated in the video, if you cannot hold this for one minute, take your time building up to it. 20 second holds will quickly turn into 40 second holds. One minute will not be far behind.

You will notice while you do this exercise, your lower back will want to come off of the ground. Fight that urge as best as you can. This exercise gets its benefit from you keeping your lower back firmly planted into the ground. When done properly you will feel you whole body shaking and that is good. The shaking is your muscles becoming stronger. If you feel pain or discomfort in your lower back while you do this exercise, please stop and discuss with me during your next chiropractic appointment.

Injury Proof

The benefits of a strong core are numerous. A strong core not only helps you look good for bathing suit season, but it also helps to create better posture, have less pain, and prevent future injury. Many of the injuries I see in my chiropractic office here in Chicago are because of weak core musculature.

The core is much more than just the abdomen muscles. The core is truly the integration of the body as a whole. How your body is all tied together. The core helps connect the upper body to the lower body so it can all work in unison. A strong united body comes from a strong core.

Hollow holds for core, give them a try and reap the benefits of developing a rock solid foundation!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage

Mon	10:00am – 6:00pm
Tue	Closed
Wed	10:00am – 6:00pm
Thu	10:00am – 6:00pm
Fri	Closed
Sat	9:00am – 11:00am
Sun	Closed