Everyone faces challenges which are different and unique. Some of us may sit at a desk all week, others may stand for long periods, while others lift heavy objects. As a result, your body experiences some sort of stress or trauma. This trauma doesn’t just end after work or when you come home from school. It is then compounded through sports, playing with the kids, and countless other recreational activities.

Please don’t quit your extra activities and please don’t quit your job. We need challenges and stressors to grow stronger within our lives. We also need to make a living. What can you do to prepare for these stressors? More importantly, what do you do to recover after you have experienced them?

Check out this video about Maurice Jones Drew and how he starts his recovery process after a rough work week.

Most of our bodies aren’t under as much stress as Maurice Jones Drew and most of us don’t train as hard either. However, just as his body takes hits and experiences stress, so do ours.

Lack of training can be a major cause of injury or trauma.  A lack of recovery or improper recovery may also be the culprit.   It is also possible that you have experienced several micro-injuries and are currently pain free. Unfortunately, just because the pain has subsided or isn’t present doesn’t mean everything is functioning as it should. Some of you may be in a constant state of “sick” and are dealing with”chronic conditions” or “normal aches and pains”. This is not normal and does not have to be accepted. Our bodies are designed to heal, recover, and actively adapt.

Chiropractic works to restore balance within your life! It works to prepare you for those tough days and helps you recover afterwards. At Belle Hall Chiropractic we urge you to be proactive with your health.  We can help.

What are you doing today to guarantee your health for the future? How are you helping your body recover? Get ready for next week by scheduling an appointment today!

If you have any questions about chiropractic and how it can help you contact Belle Hall Chiropractic at 843-284-2273 or email Dr. McCoy at drnick@bellehallchiropractic.com

Visit our website at www.bellehallchiropractic.com for more information.

We are located at 721 Long Point Road, Suite 403, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (across the street from the Seacoast Church) in the Long Point Office Park.

I started thinking about this and thought it would be a good topic to share with you this week.  So what is the importance of the chiropractic exam, or better yet, what is the importance of any exam in general?

The word exam is literally defined as “a test”. So, in a sense what you experience when you go through a chiropractic exam is in fact a test. The word test is defined as “the trial of the quality of something”.  Now you ask, “ What are you testing for and why am I being tested?”

Just as the word test was defined, we are looking for the “quality” of  you and your body. More specifically, we are looking for the cause of what brought you into our door. This can be any variety of things.  The information we gather during your exam, or test, will then appropriately guide us in the direction of your care.

You may be saying, ”It’s so simple, Doc. I know exactly what my problem is.”  What you percieve as the problem may very well be caused by something entirely different.  You may have other issues contributing to your present ailment and be completely unaware.  It is also possible that we discover an old problem, which you had given up on, or one that you had accepted as is.  I am commonly told, “I don’t have a problem here. It is just the normal aches and pains.” Imagine, how exciting it would be to find out that there is something you can do. You don’t have to accept it any longer.

This is why your chiropractic exam is so important and why it must be thorough. In order to make an appropriate diagnosis, we must first have all the necessary information.

Picking up care where this individual had left off, without doing an exam, would not only be irresponsible, but would completely disregard any changes which may have taken place.  It would be like trying to fix something without first finding out what the problem or cause even was.

One would never take their car to a mechanic and trust them to fix it without first running a diagnostic test or at least looking under the hood. If you did,  it wouldn’t take long before you were looking for a more qualified mechanic. It is like asking them to replace the starter, because that fixed your problem last time.  Replacing your starter today may have no effect on the current problem.  Now it may be a fouled spark plug that is responsible. This could only be determined through testing and examining the involved parts.

Value your exams and expect them.  It doesn’t matter if it is your general practitioner,  dentist, chiropractor or even mechanic. Make sure that they take the steps necessary to find out what your problems are. Only then can they make an informed decision about YOU. You would not trust your valued possessions with anything less, please treat your body with the same priority.

If you have any questions about chiropractic and what it can do for you contact Belle Hall Chiropractic at 843-284-2273 or email Dr. McCoy at drnick@bellehallchiropractic.com

Feel free to visit our website at www.bellehallchiropractic.com for more information.

We are located at 721 Long Point Road, Suite 403, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (across the street from the Seacoast Church) in theLong Point Office Park.

In order to ease this healthcare burden, we are offering a courtesy reduction on your first day visit. This is substantial as it covers your initial exam and in-office radiological studies, if deemed necessary. (Please note that this does not pertain to outside studies such as MRI or CT if indicated).   This also does not pertain to medicare, workers compensation or personal injury cases.

Every month we pick a local business or group and extend this discount to them.  Discount is valid for that month only and includes all employees of this group and their immediate family members. If you are a service group or church, this only pertains to employees or members that provide a regular service, on behalf of the church or group. For example, this reduction does not apply to an entire congregation of a church but would extend to pastors, deacons, and Sunday school teachers etc.    

This month we have chosen Seacoast Church. Please pass this information along. If you have any questions or would like to recommend a local business, church or group for next month please call or stop by the office. Have a wonderful day and we look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

Drs. Nicholas and Emily McCoy

Belle Hall Chiropractic is located at 721 Long Point Road, Suite 403 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (across from Seacoast church).

Check out our website www.bellehallchiropractic.com for more information or call the office at 843.284.2273

 One recent morning I noticed a young girl, around 12 or 13, who was leaning forward at about a 45 degree angle to compensate for all the books in her bag. The bag must have weighed at least 20 or 30 lbs! Imagine all the pressure on her growing spine. I honestly think if she were to stand up straight she would have fallen flat on her back due to the weight.

 A child’s young spine is  not designed to handle this stress.  Their young body will react and change to this stress resulting in postural changes, pain, and loss of function.  This reminds me of the quote I mentioned in my last post, “It is easier to raise healthy children than to repair damaged adults.”

Parents please educate your children on proper spinal health. After all, the spine is the body’s foundation and guardian of the nervous system.

I have added an article below that I hope you find interesting. It lists several things you can do to make sure your childs backpack is properly fitted. There is also a link at the end to an ACA approved backpack.

If you are a parent or teacher and would like more information about backpack safety email drnick@bellehallchiropractic.com or call 843.284.CARE (2273).

Belle Hall Chiropractic is located at 721 Long Point Road, Suite 403, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.

Backpack Safety

by The American Chiropractic Association

“In my own practice, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining about back, neck and shoulder pain,” said Dr. Scott Bautch, immediate past president of the ACA’s Council on Occupational Health. “The first question I ask these patients is, ‘Do you carry a backpack to school?’ Almost always, the answer is ‘yes.’”

This new back pain trend among youngsters isn’t surprising when you consider the disproportionate amounts of weight they carry in their backpacks – often slung over just one shoulder. According to Dr. Bautch, a recent study conducted in Italy found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks to school, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result.

According to Dr. Bautch, preliminary results of studies being conducted in France show that the longer a child wears a backpack, the longer it takes for a curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself. “The question that needs to be addressed next is, ‘Does it ever return to normal?’” Dr. Bautch added.

The results of these types of studies are especially important as more and more school districts – many of them in urban areas – remove lockers from the premises, forcing students to carry their books with them all day long.

The problem has become so widespread, in fact, that the California State Assembly recently passed legislation that would force school districts to develop ways of reducing the weight of students’ backpacks. Similar legislation is being considered in New Jersey as well. The ACA believes that limiting the backpack’s weight to no more than 10 percent of the child’s body weight and urging the use of ergonomically correct backpacks are possible solutions.

What Can You Do?
The ACA offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.

• Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
• The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
• A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.
• Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will be.
• Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
• Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child’s shoulders.
• The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
• If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.
• Although the use of rollerpacks – or backpacks on wheels – has become popular in recent years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips and falls.
• Consider the ACA-endorsed Samsonite Chiropak , a school bag designed to ease much of the stress that carrying books can place on one’s body. Among other features, the Chiropak offers comfortable body-contact surfaces and an adjustable hip/waist belt.Chiropractic Care Can Help…
  If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from backpack use, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In addition, doctors of chiropractic can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture and sleeping habits.

  related links:
  For more information on the Chiropak click here.

Perhaps, it is helping keep them in top shape to  prevent injury. Unfortunatly, sometimes injury has already occurred and you need to help them on the journey to recovery. This is where we come in. Chiropractic will work hand-in-hand with your athlete’s training and can even help with injury reduction by identifying bio-mechanical alterations which may be making your child susceptible to injuries.

Your son or daughter’s musculoskeletal and nervous system play an important role in their athletic performance. Professional athletes have known this for years. Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Tiger Woods are just a few, of many, who have publicly credited chiropractic care to their long term success. Tiger Woods states, “I’ve been going to chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It’s as important to my training as practicing my swing.”  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that your son or daughter will become a professional athlete if they see a chiropractor, but it definitely gives their body a competitive advantage.

Video of Jerry Rice and his experience with Chiropractic

You might be saying, “but my son/daughter doesn’t play football, isn’t a runner, or doesn’t play golf.” Any sport has stresses. Some are more traumatic than others and some are more stressful as well.  Maybe your son or daughter is not an athlete but has other hobbies. Chiropractic can help with them as well. Academia also causes stress of the nervous system including carrying a backpack, hours studying, and sitting in the classroom all day. I once heard, “it is easier to grow healthy children than to repair damaged adults .” Give your child the advantage of chiropractic care and schedule a consult today by calling 843.284.CARE.

Belle Hall Chiropractic is located at 721 Long Poing Road, Suite 403, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (Across from Seacoast Church)

If you are a parent or coach and would like to find out more information email drnick@bellehallchiropractic.com.

Visit our website for more information at www.bellehallchiropractic.com

However, a majority of patients in our office come due to symptoms they experience because of an accumulation of minor injuries.  To name just a few:  poor posture, repetitive work environments, bad sleeping surfaces and/or positions, bumps and falls, weekend activities, etc. These minor injuries are usually the ones most people would never think had the capability to cause a major problem.

Generally, it is the accumulation of these minor injuries leading to the final result of a chronic or reoccurring symptom. If you wait until the symptoms have manifested themselves, you will generally find the problem is more difficult to correct and will require longer healing time. In other words, more time and money.

In this respect, chiropractic is very similar to dentistry. Everyone should have a periodic check-up to determine whether they are developing health problems which are preventable through early intervention. Again, problems caught at this point are usually corrected with much less care than problems which have become well established.

YOU hold the POWER to your health and as such it is up to you. The ball is in your court and you have  home field advantage.  Take control of the game and pick a preventative strategy so you can bring home a win through better health.When was the last time you had your spine and nervous system checked? For many of you it was way too long ago or perhaps you never have. Now is the time to take charge of your health by calling to reserve your appointment today!

If you have any questions about chiropractic and how it can help you contact Belle Hall Chiropractic at 843-284-2273 or visit our website at www.bellehallchiropractic.com for more information.

We are located at 721 Long Point Road, Suite 403, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (across the street from the Seacoast Church).

Dr. Nicholas McCoy can be reached at drnick@bellehallchiropractic.com

Belle Hall Chiropractic

Dr. Emily received her bachelor’s of science degree in psychology from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. She became familiar with chiropractic when her oldest brother attended Palmer College. She has a wonderful story to share with you about how chiropractic has helped her, feel free to ask!

Dr. Nick and Dr. Emily McCoy were blessed by the birth of their first child in December of 2007. Dr. Emily has been adjusting her son, Aiden, since he was an infant. She would love to share the stories of how chiropractic has helped Aiden and how chiropractic can benefit your children.
If you have any questions for Dr. Emily, please email her at: dremily@bellehallchiropractic.com

Belle Hall Chiropractic

Dr. Nick comes from a family of chiropractors including his father and two brothers. With a family of mentors, Dr. Nick was able to grow up listening to many benefits of chiropractic care. As a patient, Dr. Nick has personally experienced the wellness benefits of chiropractic and also the healing aspects following a rugby injury and an auto accident.

If you have any questions for Dr. Nick, please email him at E-Mail: drnick@bellehallchiropractic.com

Belle Hall Chiropractic

Dr. Nicholas & Emily McCoy