Archive for balance problems
As a Camarillo Chiropractor I know how important it is for all of us to maintain good balance, especially as we age. Good balance helps us to walk without stumbling, get up from a sitting position without swaying, and to climb stairs without missing a step. In other words, good balance is extremely important to our health and well-being. And, even though many adults aged 65 and older report episodes of dizziness, “wooziness, and other balance-related challenges, getting older, in and of itself, doesn’t have to mean a fall is inevitable or that being younger includes an exemption. In fact, a new research study found that remaining physically fit and sticking to a regular exercise routine lowered the risk of taking a tumble both the old and young, especially if you’re a male.
As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, falls for both men and women of any age can be serious. The overall statistics on the number of falls sustained each year in the U.S., not only for people 65 years and older but for younger individuals as well, may surprise you. Nearly 19,000 people die each year from falls and almost 8 million seek treatment in emergency rooms. And, as mentioned, although falls are the leading cause of injuries among people age 65 and older, the study revealed that young people fall down just as frequently as seniors!
Let’s face it, even though reaching old age can be a very “risky” business in many ways if we don’t take care of ourselves along the way, as far as falling goes younger people are more likely to intentionally engage in risky activities than seniors, such as standing on ladders and ledges, running, and playing sports — activities that can often lead to a serious tumble.
But, no matter what a person’s age may be, the more physically fit we remain reduces our fall potential, especially if you are a male. The study included individuals between 20 and 87 years of age. Of the 10,615 participants in the study, done be researchers, lead by Kristin Mertz, M.D., at the epidemiology department at the University of Pittsburgh, 20 percent reported falling in the past year. Of those who fell, 15 percent fell while walking. Surprisingly, the study found that women were 2.8 times as likely to fall while walking as men, but that the fitness levels of the participants only seemed to make a difference in men falling while it did not appear to have the same effect for women. The study found men with low fitness levels were 2.2 times more likely to fall while walking than were highly fit men.
“We were surprised to find that fitness and physical activity seemed to have a stronger relationship with walking-related falls in men compared with women,” Mertz said. As a chiropractor, I am surprised with that finding as well.
And, as your Camarillo Chiropractor, I would like to add the following commentary: Whether you are young or older, male or female, maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition, routine exercise, and regular chiropractic adjustments can benefit the entire body and help to maintain your fitness level and balance acuity as you age.
Look for research study results in the only July issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Source: Health Behavior News Service
What does the word, “vertigo, ” denote? Vertigo is a term for the dizzy disturbance that a person suffers within a fixed setting. The perception is that the outer world is tilting or spinning. Vertigo may be unexpected and short- lived or chronic. Nevertheless, in any case, the exact root of vertigo should be identified and the correct professional therapy carried out.
There are various causal agents for the disorder of Vertigo. An inner ear condition, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, will on occasion show up as the impact of a sustained head trauma or very bad cold. In some cases this particular vertigo is caused by the aging process. The root, though, commonly is unknown. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is a wordy diagnosis, but it characterizes perfectly this non- progressive malady that is the result of, as its name suggests, a abrupt change in head posture. The symptoms are more often than not unexpected and varied.
It will be beneficial to look at the function of the inner ear in an effort understand what leads to this commonly incapacitating discomforts of this type of vertigo. The brain senses motion and maintains equilibrium employing the fluid within the inner ear. Also in the inner ear are small calcium carbonate crystals, known as otoconia. The crystals are able to float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the sensitive nerve endings in the inner ear, they generate the difficulties of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
The good news is that chiropractic therapy can eliminate the symptoms of BPPV very quickly and effectively using a technique known as the Epley maneuver. By means of the use of this method, a chiropractor rotates the head of a BPPV victim into several different positions, letting gravity relocate the calcium carbonate crystals into a local of the inner ear that is away from the nerve endings where they will induce no further wooziness.
Your chiropractor has aided numerous persons for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo applying the Epley Maneuver technique. Usually, with only one treatment many patients no longer suffer from vertigo. See your Camarillo Chiropractor today!
Chiropractic Camarillo Style and Balance Problems
Posted by: | CommentsManaging and preserving body position while remaining still orin motion is the most crucial function of good balance. Good balance helps someone to walk without faltering, arise from a sitting position without falling, and to climb stairs without tripping.
Balance challenges are often disclosed by 9 percent of adults, aged 65 and older. Good balance is vital in helping an older person to stay independent, and to carry out daily chores and activities. Many older men and women, however, undergo dizziness, “wooziness,” and challenges with balance.
The label, vertigo, relates to the experience that some people have that they, themselves, or their environment is spinning. About 40 percent of people nationwide will have an incidence of dizziness that is serious enough to go seek out a health professional. And, among older adults, falls are the most widespread cause of extreme injury and deaths.
Balance and Inner Ear Problems
There are many types of balance disorders. Three conventional types are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, labyrinthitis, and Meniere’s disease. Of these three, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most prevalent. It occurs as a brief, intense experience of vertigo when an individual changes head position. It can additionally be felt when rolling over to the left or right in bed, upon arising in the morning, or when looking up for an object on a high shelf. This condition is more disposed in people 60 and older, however it can also happen in younger people.
There are diverse reasons for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. It may be created by an inner ear infection, head injury, or simply aging. Frequently times a simple Epleys procedure can eliminate the affliction, although it can be linked to other disease processes. Your Camarillo chiropractor has many years of experience in this procedure.
Labyrinthitis is an infection or iinflammation of the inner ear that produces dizziness and loss of balance. It affects people|individuals of any age and the cause is uncertain.
Ménière’s disease is a balance disorder that creates vertigo, hearing loss that comes and goes, tinnitus (ringing or roaring in the ears), and a “full feeling” in the ear.
Age is not the only explanation for why these conditions occur, but older individuals are more likely to encounter balance disorders. Therapy for balance disorders varies based upon the reason. A chiropractor is well-educated in discovering and treating many of the causes. On occasion, even simple exercises for vestibular rehab can be the remedy to balance challenges. Make an appointment with a health care professional, such as your Camarillo chiropractor, if you have encountered, or are currently experiencing, dizziness, vertigo, or other abnormalities with balance.
Whereas some balance disorders are caused by challenges in the inner ear, other disorders may involve another part of the body, like the brain or the heart. Other influences, besides aging and ear infection, may involve head injury, certain medicines, interferences with blood circulation, upper respiratory infections, viral infections, stress, fatigue, smoking, alcohol use, stroke, high or low blood pressure, and heart disease.
Balance disorders caused by high blood pressure can normally be managed by less sodium intake,sustaining a healthy weight, and exercise. To assist in making the symptoms of dizziness less intense, frequently eating low-salt or salt-free foods, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol, will help.
Balance disorders are serious. It is the number one cause of falls and fall-related injuries in older people. It is crucial to have a suspected balance disorder analysed and treated as soon as possible.
If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should discuss the symptom(s) with your chiropractor:
• Do you have the feeling of being “unsteady?”
• Does the room seem to spin around you?
• Is there ever a time when you feel as if you are moving when you know you are standing still?
• Do you lose your balance and/or fall?
• Do you feel as if you are falling?
• Does your vision ever become “blurred?”
• Do you ever feel disoriented, or lose a sense of time, place or identify?
Don’t wait until it’s too late! Call your Camarillo chiropractor today.
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