Tag Archives: low back pain chicago

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

 

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.

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Chiropractic Travel Tips

Chiropractic Travel Tips

Who doesn’t love to travel? Spring break is upon us and many people will be hitting the road and the air to travel to fun family destinations. Travel can be tricky if you are suffering from back or neck pain. Even if you are feeling good, travel can make you feel tight, achy and sore. Here are some Chiropractic Travel Tips to help you feel great once you arrive at your destination.

Move

You have to move your body! Lack of movement can create tension and pain. If you are driving make sure to get out of the car and move every time you stop. Drink a lot of water while driving because this will force you to stop often for potty breaks. If you are flying the advice is the same, get up and walk to the bathroom at least once an hour.

You can also move without getting up. Perform circles with your feet, head and neck and shoulders while sitting. Any movement is better than no movement. Fidgeting can also be a helpful habit while traveling because fidgeting will help to keep movement built into the time you are spending sitting.

Relax

Travel can be stressful. Any extra stress leads to more tension and pain. Try and stay relaxed during your travels to help alleviate any extra tension. I personally like to meditate while I am flying or the passenger in a car on a road trip. This helps me to stay mentally at ease which helps my body to stay at ease.

Once You Arrive

The first thing you should do once you arrive and settle in to your hotel is stretch. Particularly the areas to focus on are the thoracic spine (middle back), hips and shoulders. These are the areas of the body that get tight after long periods of sitting. While sitting these areas are in a flexed or rounded position which creates tightness and lack of motion. Spend 5-10 minutes loosening these areas up and you will be much happier and ready to enjoy your vacation to the fullest!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Sciatica and Chiropractic

Sciatica and Chiropractic

Sciatica and Chiropractic go hand in hand with each other. Sciatica is the most common condition that brings people into my office here in Chicago.

If you are suffering from sciatica, or know someone who is, then you know how debilitating and crippling it can be. We have amazing success with sciatica, it responds really well to what we do here in my office.

What I want to talk about is the amount of time people suffer with sciatica before they finally decide to seek treatment.  Many times when people first come in to my office with sciatica I will ask them “How long have you had this?” The answers are always 5 years, 10 years, or forever! It varies, but it is always a REALLY LONG TIME! Why are you waiting so long? I get it. Most people think it will go away on its own, but if you’ve had it for YEARS, guess what? It’s time to get some help!

I challenge you, if you have sciatica, come to our office in Sauganash or go see your local Chiropractor if you are not in Chicago. We have had amazing success with Sciatica and you no longer have to suffer. We can help you get back to the things you want to enjoy in life. More exercise, more movement, sitting, sleeping and all types of everyday activities can be normal again!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins

Check out the video below hear “Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins”

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Stand for Better Posture

Stand for Better Posture

One of the easiest ways to improve your overall health is to stand for better posture.  The human body is designed to move, and keep moving. We as a society have come a long way from this. We are now spending an average of 13 hours a day sitting on our butts! As a result of all of this sitting we are becoming weaker, more overweight, and suffering from back pain at all time high levels. 86% of all Americans will suffer from low back pain to the extent that they will have to miss work. Back pain is now the second most common reason people visit their Medical Doctor after the common cold.

Many people, corporations, companies and myself are switching to standing desks. Studies show standing helps employees to be more productive, have more energy and have less missed days of work. From a physiological standpoint, standing lowers blood pressure, improves posture, and keeps your spinal muscles strong. Standing while you work is a win-win for everyone involved.

Since switching to my standing desk, I have actually not lowered once to sit down. It has the option to be lowered, but I find no desire to sit down anymore. It does take some getting used to, and you may feel soreness in your feet, knees, hips and lower back when you first start because all of those muscles are not used to having to work so much. Stay the course though, because after a week or so everything starts to feel much better.

Do you stand for better posture? Have you switched to a standing desk? I’d love to here about what you notice is the difference?

 

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chiropractic and Pregnancy

Chiropractic and Pregnancy

Chiropractic and pregnancy are a match made in heaven. Think of the pelvis of a pregnant woman as a basketball hoop, and the baby as the basketball. If the hoop is level, balanced and in alignment it makes it very easy for the ball to go through the hoop. Now, imagine that the hoop is crooked and unbalanced, it makes it very difficult to get the ball through the hoop.

To improve your chances of having an easier and uncomplicated delivery it’s critical to have your pelvis in proper alignment. This is why women flock to the chiropractor during pregnancy!

Women also visit our chiropractic office in Chicago during pregnancy to help with the general aches and pains associated with pregnancy. The most common ache and pain during the third trimester is sciatica. We have great success helping women with Sciatica, which could be a blog topic all on it’s own. Sometimes women will visit us because their baby is in the wrong position, and they have heard chiropractors have a technique to get the baby into the right position. Whatever your reasons may be, make sure you are under regular chiropractic care during your pregnancy to ensure you have the best labor and delivery possible.

Post Pregnancy

After pregnancy is also a great time to visit us at Bourdage Chiropractic.  The postures women find themselves in while nursing or carrying around a heavy diaper bag and car seat can really wreck havock on your spine. The aches and pains pf being a new mom are not fun. This should be one fo the most beautiful and amazing times of your life, don’t let pain get in the way of it! It is important that you feel your best so you can BE your best for your new bundle of joy.

Conclusion

The human body undergoes a lot of challenges during and after pregnancy. Chiropractors are highly trained to help you through this time and keep you as strong and healthy as possible. Let me know how I can hep!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

When Pain is More Than Pain

When Pain is More Than Pain

I had a patient come in recently with what he called, “a stiff neck with some pain” that he woke up with after sleeping in a funny position the night before. As a chiropractor, new patients come in with stories like this every single day. Continue reading →

Chiropractic For New Moms

May 25, 2016

Happy Healthy Mom

Chiropractic For New Moms

Being a new mom is tough. If you are reading this, maybe you have been there, or maybe you are going through it right now. Either way, I am here to support you.

Being a new mom puts a lot of physical and emotional stress on your body. Sleepless nights, hunched posture from nursing, carrying car seats, carrying diaper bags, rocking baby to sleep, and the list goes on and on. I always saw a lot of new moms in my office, but it wasn’t until my wife was a new mom that I truly realized ALL the things moms do for their kids. Then it started making more sense to me why they were having so many aches and pains.

Why Chiropractic is Perfect for New Moms

After labor and delivery are finished, it is critical that moms are at their best so they can give their best to the new baby, Also, if you are nursing it is very important to be very anal about what you put into your body. Meaning that many medications can have a negative impact on your babies health. Chiropractic can help you stay pain free and as healthy as possible without medications. With all of that stress on your muscles, joints and spine we are the PERFECT care taker to help you. We may not be able to help you get more sleep, but when your body is feeling better everything is better…and who knows….maybe you will get better sleep too!

In conclusion, if you are a new mom and you have been dealing with all of the aches and pains that come along with that, give us  call and let us help you feel better and get back to doing what you do best: BEING A MOM!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Stretching

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Stretching

May 5, 2016

Stretch for Flexibility

Stretch for Flexibility

 

 

 

Stretching is an often overlooked aspect of health, but yet it so important. There is a lot of misguided information when it comes to stretching. In this blog I want to explain why it is important to stretch and explain the proper timing and method to get the most bang for your buck while stretching.

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