Have you given up on making New Year’s resolutions? This is the year you can get back on track. The number one resolution in most of everyone’s mind is to lose weight. Losing weight can always be a challenge, looking for shortcuts and usually giving ourselves the lack of necessities needed for survival to do so.  What if leading a complete healthier lifestyle could not only keep the weight off but help you build upon a better all-around future? Let’s discuss some of the things you can focus on to in 2018 to keep the future years’ resolutions from seeming unachievable.

Sleep Better

Sleeping better has amazing benefits no matter how young or how healthy you may feel. Generally, the lack of sleep is a huge influence on other underlying health issues. Better sleep can:

• Lower stress and anxiety
• Decrease weight gain
• Improve immunity functions
• Improve your mood
• Improve your appearance
• Improve memory strength
• Lower your risk of type 2 diabetes

Cut the Stress In 2018

Chronic Stress can be a huge indicator from our body informing us that the current lifestyle isn’t the best. However, some of the daily stress we encounter can tend to be unavoidable. Reducing chronic stress can:

• Lower your risk of heart disease
• Reduce insomnia
• Diminish depression
• Moderate your weight management

Strength Train Instead of Just Losing Weight

Focus on the journey, not just the destination. Becoming focused on how to create the path that will lead to actual weight loss in a healthy way will make the bumps in the road you may encounter a little more manageable. Strength training can help:

• Manage weight loss
• Increase bone density
• Cope with chronic pain or conditions
• Increase critical thinking and learning
• Improve balance
• Reduce risk of injury

Improve Posture

Your mother used to warn you to straighten up, but without telling her she was right all of these years let’s focus on how good posture can help your daily routine. Improving posture can:

• Promote airflow to the lungs
• Increase productivity
• Improve your energy
• Reduce stress
• Increase confidence
• Help increase positive emotions
• Increase muscle strength

How A Dallas Chiropractor Can Help

As you may have noticed, the resolutions we have suggested all tend to overlap each other. Typically, if you are going to have a resolution or intent of purpose, you are going to need to improve a little of each of these concentrations. A great chiropractor in Dallas is able to guide each patient with a correct plan and well maintenance exam in order to provide the individual care he or she may need. Most issues that are caused such as weight gain, lack of sleep, muscle weakness and even stress can be attributed to spine health. A chiropractor can help lead you in the right direction to improve all of these areas in your New Year’s Resolution

Accident Centers of Texas Can Help Improve Your 2018

At Accident Centers of Texas we’re not just qualified, we care. With 3 Dallas chiropractic clinics and 5 more chiropractic clinics in the surrounding areas such as Fort Worth, Arlington, Garland, Frisco, and Irving. With continued focus on all of our patients, our Dallas chiropractor Dr. Niaz and the staff are able to provide services and benefits to help aid in receiving the best attention and care offered in the Dallas-Fort Worth. Ask about preventative scheduling and our ride service when you contact us today!

The Purpose Of A Spinal Adjustment For Decompression

A spinal adjustment for decompression consist of stretching the spine possibly using a device that will relieve back, neck, or leg pain. Spinal adjustment decompression devices are seen as a nonsurgical practice used by chiropractors to extend and alleviate one or several of the consistent problems that may have occurred for patients after a car accident or trauma. These issues can include but are not limited to bulging discs, herniated discs, pinched nerve or degenerating discs. Spinal decompression has been known to shorten the healing time needed to recover from any major or minor trauma injury.

Spinal Adjustment Benefits After An Auto Accident

Based on a theory that spinal decompression from an adjustment is beneficial to spinal care provided by your Dallas chiropractor, many chiropractors in Dallas-Fort Worth have increased the use of devices used to stretch the spine. It has been viewed that when a muscle, tissue, or the spinal disc, is stretched out the pressure will lead to an advancement of repositioning and retraction of the muscle and material surrounding the bones. This will create a smaller amount of pressure where the issue lies providing a larger release of fluid for the body to heal in a natural, faster way. 

When an auto accident occurs and results in injury, several different issues could occur to the spine. Primarily, the pain in the muscles after whiplash could be extending from a nerve. The nerve root pain is referred to as a herniated disc. If the nerve becomes pinched between two adjacent discs the pinched nerve is called sciatica. Both a herniated disc and sciatica are very common issues that occur with spinal injuries from trauma or car accidents. They more times than not will cause little to no pain upon occurrence of the injury. Sometimes another smaller less traumatic incident could cause these areas to become injured again causing a pain that may radiate to other parts of the body. Legs and neck are very common reactors to the nerve root and pinching pains. 

Unlike sciatica or herniated discs, degenerative discs can result after longer periods of time and wear on the body following a traumatic accident. Degenerative disc can cause a weakness or radiating numbness throughout the spine. With the right healing time and treatment someone with degenerative disc disease will actually get bet better over time, not worse as most people may think. Spinal adjustment decompression used on a consistent basis has been linked to results of digression of degenerative disc disease.

Accident Centers of Texas Spinal Adjustment

You are able to contact and visit a Accident Centers of Texas for several different treatment options using a spinal adjustment decompression. These options also include spinal decompression as well as a long term nonsurgical therapy such as a posture pump, lumbar decompression pump, flexion and decompression traction table, inversion therapy or pressure change therapy. Chiropractic care is typically the first recommended after a car accident since it uses a homeopathic approach. Our Dallas-Forth Chiropractors will use both tables and pumps with most of their treatment options within their field of manual manipulation. After the chiropractor has explained the treatment options available and time frame for recovery needed, you may ask about purchasing and using a posture pump or lumber decompression pump at home for continued relief and faster recovery. 

With Accident Centers of Texas you never have to worry about your location in Dallas-Fort Worth either. We have locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Garland, Frisco, Irving, Oak Cliff, and Pleasant Grove. We also have a transportation service if you are unable to get yourself to one of our locations. So if you’re in an auto accident, be sure to contact Accident Centers of Texas right away!

With the holidays quickly approaching, the street is becoming crowded with last minute holiday shoppers. Living in a fast paced metro like Dallas-Fort Worth with fast paced commuters can become overwhelming. Here are some tips from us at Accident Centers of Texas to take control this winter season and avoid accidents.

Preparing for the drive for you and your family

Now that the season has changed and the weather has started to get colder,  you will want to give the road plenty of caution and care to safely get where you are going. Here are some tips to ensure that you can properly prepare you and your family on the road this holiday season:

• Turn on any traction control on the vehicle and adjust your speed accordingly. Remember, the roads will become harder to drive on if it has been sleeting or raining. Be aware of black ice, you may not see the ice and rain will make any oil on the road slick. According to TxDot there were 130,856 auto accidents in 2016 due to weather related conditions.
• Check your headlights. Make sure the roads are visible in the dark, clean the headlight covers along with the brake lights, signal lights, bright lights, and any backup lights. The best way to do this is to remove the lamp covers. There are several at home hacks that can be used or products from any store that sales automotive parts.
• Ensure that your tires are still in good condition. Don’t forget to check air pressure and you can always do the penny test for tread!
• Maintain a safe distance behind any vehicle. Stay at least 2 car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you. Cautiously check your mirrors and place any mobile distractions on hold until you get to your next destination.
• Replace windshield wipers and top off windshield wiper fluid, make sure to leave in enough time to heat your vehicle as well as giving enough time to melt any ice or frost off your windshields.
• Prepare an on the road emergency kit. Include things such as water, blankets, and heat packs for any off road unplanned event.

Stay cautious on the road

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were no deathless days on the road in 2016. Be sure to take the proper precautions and keep aware of drivers around you.

• According to TxDot there were 21,317 injury related crashes that could be caused by weather conditions. Keep off the road as much as possible when it has been sleeting, snowing, raining, or poor weather.
• As the sun moves closer to the horizon, it becomes blinding to drivers during rush hour. Always keep sunglasses handy and never look directly into the lights of oncoming traffic at night. As a driver ages, glare, distance, and lighting may become less clear and bothersome. At 60 years of age or older, a person will even begin to judge speed less clearly. And a 50 year old will need twice as much lighting as a 30 year old.
• Child safety can be the hardest and most timely to maintain, as we would like to bundle up our children during the colder months, remember that a harness on a car seat can be impeded by overly thick coats and blankets. Make sure to use thinner materials in a car seat. You can use blankets, mittens, hats and booties to ensure that all children will be able to keep warm in the car. But a child restraint system may fail during an accident if the child is able to slip out due to overly thick jackets or snow gear.

Wishing the best for your family this holiday season

This season should be filled with joy, thanks, and family cheer. Make sure to keep safe this holiday season and prepare for the weather during the colder months. Start the new year right and keep your shopping rush to a minimum. Be aware of your surroundings and keep in mind that more time is needed to get from point A to point B during the month of December.

We would like to wish you and your family a happy holiday, keep in mind to call us even when your trying to stay prepared and in top notch health if the cold is keeping your movement limited. We are here to help and want you to enjoy this winter season, so if you are involved in a car wreck and sustain an auto injury be sure to contact Accident Centers of Texas right away. Our team of chiropractors in Dallas-Fort Worth aren’t just qualified, they care!

Whiplash can be diagnosed, treated and cared for within the scope of a Chiropractor in Dallas-Fort Worth without the use of surgery or medication.

Whiplash is a traumatic injury in the neck due to a “whip-like” motion of the spinal column in the neck area, lots of times resulting from auto accidents. This can cause restricted movement in the neck due to acute or a prolong muscle strain around the neck.

Diagnosis of a Whiplash Injury

A chiropractor will start with a full evaluation of the spine. Pain may subside only in the neck area but other areas of the spine may be affected as well. During the evaluation, your chiropractor will typically order an MRI to show if there has been any intervertebral disc injury. They will also check for restricted motion of the joints, any ligament injuries as well as visible muscle spasms. The chiropractor would use a very simple static diagnostic technique involving touch to feel for tight and tender muscles. They will also perform a physical movement test to evaluate the spine and joint ease of motion and if there are visible or verbal signs from the patient of pain. Once all of this has been done your Dallas chiropractor will establish a treatment plan for both physical and neurological issues they have found.

Whiplash Treatment

Once a diagnostic treatment plan has been created there are a copious amount of therapy techniques that a chiropractic clinic may use that are both noninvasive and homeopathic. There would be techniques such as manipulation and stretching as well as therapeutic massages. The chiropractor may also suggest at-home self-therapy such as heat or ice, creams, sprays, spinal support or stretching. During the first several days of acute whiplash therapy, it is suggested to use ice to minimize the swelling or inflammation of the muscles. Once pain has started to decrease and swelling has dissipated heat can be used to bring relief to the muscles and joints surrounding the spine.

The treatment options will depend on the severity and length of time of the sustained whiplash injury. During the plan’s time frame for healing, the most common version of treatment will be manual therapy or manipulation of the spine. Common manual therapy techniques used are:

• flexion-distraction technique: A slow pumping technique that is used to be gentle and non-thrusting.

• instrument-assisted manipulation: A gentle form of manual therapy that uses a handheld tool.

• specific spinal manipulation: Manipulation using a gentle thrusting motion while the chiropractor identifies joints that show abnormal motion or restricted movement. This type of manipulation will stretch soft tissue around the joints.

Other forms of therapy used during a visit with the chiropractor are:

• ultrasound

• trigger point therapy

• therapeutic massage

• instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy

• manual joint stretching and resistance training

• transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Contact Accident Centers of Texas After Whiplash

At Accident Centers of Texas a local chiropractor will examine your entire spine, performance of the body, as well as reexamine after each visit for therapy, to review improvement and to ensure each patient receives the best outcome. They will examine each patient individually to give the best form of therapy, not all patients are treated identically.

Within 6 weeks time most patients will see improvement of at least 30% to 90% in function and daily activity. Most acute whiplash can dissipate within several months with manual manipulation. Using these techniques, a chiropractor can be the best and least invasive form of therapy. So if  you’re suffering from whiplash due to an auto accident or other type of injury, contact Accident Centers of Texas today!