Tag Archives: back pain

Being Healthy is Hard

Being Healthy is Hard

To be healthy requires you to make healthy decisions. Being healthy is hard. You have to decide to get enough sleep, eat healthier, exercise, fill your mind with positivity, and all the other habits that create health.  Being healthy can also cost you money. Visits the the chiropractor, gym memberships, at home exercise equipment, vitamins, organic food, massages, etc… These things all cost money. I can promise you this though, being sick is a lot harder and more expensive than being healthy.

Any time or money you spend on your health is a wise investment in you! When you are sick or in pain most people are willing to spend whatever time or money it takes to regain their health. Be more proactive and spend it upfront.

The most common time people start to think about their health is once a crisis hits. We’ve all been there, or know someone who has. A person has a heart attack and then decides it’s time to start an exercise program. Or you get diagnoses with Diabetes and then decide it’s time to eat better. Or you throw your back out and can’t move and then decide it’s time to start strengthening your core. All these scenarios are OK, but wouldn’t it make so much more sense to avoid the crisis all together?

Chiropractic should be an integral part of your healthcare plan. Chiropractic can not only help you get out of pain, it helps you stay out of pain, keep you mobile, functioning and full of energy…who doesn’t want that?

Faith in Chiropractic

Faith in Chiropractic

I understand that when a person walks into a chiropractic office, they have to have some sort of faith in chiropractic. Now don’t get me wrong, if you have been to a chiropractor before or have seen the results of chiropractic first hand, you know it works. There are a lot of people who have not had these experiences, or know nothing about chiropractic, but yet, still find themselves seeking the help of a chiropractor. They typically walk into our offices with this faith, or hope that we can help them. Or, sometimes they come in with a certain degree of skepticism. Either way I like to meet people where they are at, and show them how amazing their body is and what it is capable of.

The definition of faith is “the complete trust or confidence in someone or something”. When someone has been suffering for a long time, and they have not found results for their condition they usually end up in a chiropractic office as a last resort. I don’t take this responsibility lightly. Whether they have complete faith in me and chiropractic does not effect the results. Chiropractic works whether or not you believe in it…kind of like gravity. Even if you don’t believe in gravity, it’s still working.

Results

I truly wish people could follow me around all day at the office to see how powerful chiropractic is. You’d get to see and hear the stories I see and hear. Like the man who came in for lower back pain, but also told me he has had vertigo for years. Then after one adjustment his vertigo was gone. Or the pregnant woman who’s baby was not head down, but after a series of adjustments to her pelvis the baby flipped to the correct position. The man who hadn’t slept a full night in a year because of headaches and jaw pain who finally slept a full night after just three adjustments. The colicky baby who kept his whole family up every night that finally slept soundly after being adjusted. These stories go on and on. And most people have no idea chiropractic can do these things.

When I talk about faith, I am not speaking about religion here. Chiropractic is not a religion. I know this word is used in religious context more than anywhere else. Please do not be confused, chiropractic is a science, an art and a philosophy all in one.

My role as a chiropractor is very important to me. If you do become a patient in my office, it doesn’t matter if you have faith or are a skeptic. I will do my best to take care of you, help you heal, and when you see the results that chiropractic is famous for, maybe you will become a believer too!

Your in Health,

Dr. Bourdage

 

Sciatica? Chiropractic Can Help

Are you suffering from Sciatica? Chiropractic can help!

Sciatica can be caused by many different issues. It can be arthritic changes in the spine, a herniated disc, muscle imbalances around the hip, or muscle tightness. It is important to discover what is causing your sciatica and address that issue. That is our approach here at Bourdage Chiropractic.

Sciatica is characterized by pain in the back. This is accompanied by pain, numbness, tingling, or burning that travels down the leg and may even be felt into the feet and toes. The further down your leg it travels, the more severe your case is. It is important to have this checked out and do not wait for the symptoms to get better on their own. The longer you wait, the greater chance your sciatica may become chronic in nature.

Sciatica is the most common condition I treat at Bourdage Chiropractic. We have good success in helping people heal from this oftentimes awful condition.

Please watch the video above, and if you have any questions I’d be more than happy to discuss with you. Give me a call at 773-545-9379.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chiropractic and Herniated Discs

Chiropractic and Herniated Discs

Here at Bourdage Chiropractic we see all different types of conditions. One of my favorite conditions to work with is herniated discs. Chiropractic and herniated discs go together like peanut butter and jelly. As soon as you hear, “you have a herniated disc” the first thing you should think about is seeing your chiropractor.

Continue reading →

Will Chiropractic Make Me Taller

Will Chiropractic Make Me Taller

Have you ever heard an older individual say “I’ve lost an inch since I was younger.”? Or maybe you are one of these people who has lost some height as you have gotten older? Let’s first talk about why this happens and then we will discuss what you can do about it. And then most importantly, answer the question ‘Will Chiropractic Make Me Taller?’ Continue reading →

Into the Deep End

Into the Deep End

Since I was a kid I have always been afraid of the water and swimming. If the water was deeper than I was tall there was no chance in hell I’d go into it. We would take beach vacations as a kid and I was always content to sit on the beach and watch everyone else enjoy the water. As I got older I would start to venture into the water, but rarely would I go past the water being up to my chest. This blog post is about going into the deep end. What does this have to do with chiropractic you may be thinking? Please read on…. Continue reading →

Chiropractic and Seniors

Chiropractic and Seniors

Have you ever wondered if chiropractic is safe for seniors? I love this question because the answer is a resounding YES! Chiropractic and seniors go together like peanut butter and jelly….It just works! I love working with seniors and love seeing the results they experience. My oldest patient to date is 104 years old! I have many patients that are in their 80’s and above. Let take a look at some of the benefits that seniors experience from chiropractic care. Continue reading →

5 People who need a Chiropractor

5 People who need a Chiropractor

Do you have a spine? The answer is yes, everyone with a spine needs a chiropractor in their life, this also includes animal by the way. BUT, here is a a list of 5 people who need a chiropractor and it should be non debate-able.

1) Parents, particularly new moms. Being a parent is the most challenging work on the planet. It’s emotionally, mentally and physically exhausting. Especially for moms. For new moms it is difficult. New moms are sleep deprived, nursing, and carrying around baby carriers all day. If you are a parent, please come get adjusted. You most likely don’t even realize how bad you actually feel because you are just trying to get through the day. Let’s get the stress off your body, increase your energy and get you back to being super parent!

2) Students. When you are spending hours upon hours looking at a textbook or computer screen all day, you are going to have problems. Neck pain, headaches, fatigue, shoulder pain and poor posture come from being a full-time student. Studying is great for your brain, but not great for your body. Students of all ages love chiropractic and feel so much better after adjustments. Feeling better leads to performing better!

3) Desk Jockeys. Do you spend most of your day seated at a desk? If so see #2 above. It’s the same situation. We are not designed to sit as long as we do. The average American desk worker spends 13 hours a day sitting!! That hurts just to think about! Sitting creates low back pain, neck pain, hip pain and sciatica. Chiropractic can help with all of those and then some.

4) Athletes. If you want to keep yourself in the game and performing at your best you need a chiropractor in your life. When you do get injured, if you have been well adjusted we can get you through injuries pretty quick. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, get adjusted!

5) Physical Laborers. Talk about a physically demanding job! I see people in my office that lift furniture, boxes, steel pipes and other objects all day long. Then they are bending over into spaces not designed for humans or holding camera equipment on their backs and the list goes on and on. And if you have a physically demanding job chiropractic care will help you maintain longevity in that career. I have a patient who has been an iron worker for 20 years and has been receiving chiropractic adjustments for half of that time. He says he has coworkers who are in and out of the job all the time because of injuries or they have to take an early retirement. This will not be the case for this particular patient because he is PRO ACTIVE!

Conclusion

Everyone who wants to be healthy and strong needs a chiropractor. These are the 5 types of people who need a chiropractor the most, based on what I have seen with my patients over the last 12 years in practice. If you fall into one of these categories and you need help, please call me at 773-545-9379.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage

10 Reasons You Need a Chiropractor

10 Reasons You Need a Chiropractor

Let’s be honest, there are more like 100 reasons, but for the sake of time here are the top 10 reasons you need a chiropractor in your life RIGHT NOW!

  1. Your nervous system controls everything that happens in your body. Spinal stress = Nervous system stress.
  2. Posture improvement. We sit more than ever and it is evident by people’s posture. We look more like hunched over apes then we do erect, strong humans. Chiropractors help with this.
  3. Stress relief. Have you ever noticed that when you get stressed your body becomes very tense and tight? Chiropractic to the rescue.
  4. Headache relief. Due to poor posture and stress people are having more headaches than ever. Subluxations in the neck irritate the nerves causing your headaches. Chiropractors adjust and remove subluxations.
  5. Prevention of health issues. I help my patients to identify their negative health habits and create new positive habits which helps them to stay healthier for longer.
  6. Energy. Are you feeling fatigued and sluggish? A proper, specific adjustment can wake you up faster than a shot of espresso!
  7. Improved athletic performance. There is a reason most all professional sports teams have a chiropractor on staff. Here’s a secret, it’s not to help with injuries, it’s to improve the performance of the athletes.
  8. Avoid surgery. If your first point of contact for a pain condition is a Chiropractor, your chance of having a surgery is much less than compared to if you see a medical doctor first.
  9. Age gracefully. Healthier people age better than unhealthy people. Seeing a chiropractor regularly and being proactive towards your health instead of reactive will help you to maintain your health and wellness.
  10. You have a spine! Like any other possession you have, if you do not take care of it, it will decay and fail. Do you take care of your teeth? Do you take care of your car? Your house? Hopefully the answer to these questions is YES! If you don’t take care of your teeth, car or house you can always replace them. Don’t take care of your spine there is no replacement option…you only get one!!

If you need a chiropractor in the Chicago or Lincolnwood area I would love to be YOUR chiropractor! Give me call 773-545-9379

Dr. Steven Bourdage