Prenatal Massage

Certified prenatal massage therapists like Dr. Jay McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center are specially trained to relieve pregnancy pain through massage. Prenatal massage is a holistic, non-addictive alternative to symptom relief.

Prenatal massage begins with the expectant mother being supported by cushions and pillows to protect her and her baby from injury or strain. This makes the massage more comfortable and enjoyable. Many areas of the body are avoided during prenatal massage, to prevent complications, with the focus going to those that are under the most strain.

A multitude of health benefits arise from prenatal massage. Besides the comfort of the massage itself, the mother's stress and anxiety are reduced. It relieves common aches and symptoms of pregnancy as well. Swollen ankles, lower back pain, leg cramps, and headaches are improved. Women with normal or low-risk pregnancies receive the best results from prenatal massage. If you’re in high-risk pregnancy, consult your doctor or midwife beforehand.

If you’re pregnant and want to learn more about prenatal massage, contact Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, WV. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Jay McClanahan on our website or by calling 304-776-1520.

Therapeutic Exercise

Therapeutic exercise is a group of physical activities that help restore and build physical strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and stability. At Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, Dr. Jay McClanahan will lead you through our recommended exercises.

At your first consultation with Dr. McClanahan, your physical condition will be evaluated. This allows us to create an exercise program that works for you. This program will be carefully monitored by Dr. McClanahan and our staff to make sure you’re getting the best possible workout. A few different forms are strengthening, endurance, flexibility, balance, and functional movement exercises.

There are many different exercises to choose from. Although you should not attempt any of them before consulting with us, there are a few that are commonly prescribed. Spinal Rotation is an exercise that takes place while sitting. Reach one arm across your stomach and grab the opposite side of the chair. Look over the shoulder while rotating your mid and lower back. Try to hold this position for fifteen to thirty seconds. Lower Back Extensions have you start out by laying flat on your stomach. Your hands should be placed by your sides. Lift your head and body off the ground using just the muscles in your lower back. Hold this for four to five seconds before relaxing. Repeat between ten and fifteen times.

Neck Stretches are another important subgrouping. For these, start off by bringing your ear to your shoulder. Hold your neck in this position for five to seven seconds. Force your ear towards your shoulder, stretching the muscle on the opposite side. If you experience symptoms such as dizziness or lightheadedness, stop immediately.

Visit our website to learn about all the various exercises recommended by Dr. Jay McClanahan. Visit Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, WV. To learn more about our exercise programs, or to schedule an appointment, contact us online or call 304-776-1520.

Workers Compensation

At Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, we advise our patients who have suffered an injury on the job to see us for a consultation. During the consultation, we will discuss your medical history and evaluate the cause of your pain. Our doctors are professionals at finding the source of the injury and treating it with spinal adjustments. Spinal adjustments are used to improve spinal motion and increase your body’s movement.

Medical doctors treat injuries using surgery and addictive painkillers that don’t always fix the injury. The risk of undergoing surgery is that it only treats one area of your body while we treat the body as a whole. When possible, we encourage our patients to avoid surgery and to consider chiropractic care for a natural fix.
Regardless of the severity of your injury, our doctors can diagnose the source of your pain and treat the entire body to fix it.

To learn more about all of the services we provide at the practice, visit www.drjbackdocwv.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jay McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, call 304-776-1520.

Kyphosis in Seniors

As people live longer and healthier, we’re becoming more aware that things that used to be regarded as natural parts of aging are actually preventable diseases. One of the best examples of that is the hyperkyphosis that is associated with the elderly. We’re experts in nutrition as well as spinal health at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, and we want our patients to understand how those things intertwine.

Kyphosis is the forward curvature of the upper back. Hyperkyphosis is an extreme stoop. It commonly afflicts older women as a result of osteoporosis. Our bones are constantly breaking down in a process called resorption and being rebuilt. In people with osteopenia, the breakdown is outpacing the rebuilding. When osteopenia becomes advanced, the bones are riddled with tiny holes, which is the condition “osteoporosis” describes.

Brittle bones easily develop hairline cracks. Their accumulative impact is one frequent cause of hyperkyphosis. While we can ease discomfort from osteoporosis through minimally invasive methods such as therapeutic massages, we also emphasize prevention through nutrition and exercise. In addition to calcium-rich foods and supplements, people may increase their calcium intake by exposing themselves to more sunlight. Low or no-impact exercise such as swimming and yoga can also build up back muscles, relieving pressure on the vertebrae.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.

Tailbone Injuries

The tailbone is the best-protected part of the spinal column, but the area surrounding it is still vulnerable to bruising. At the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, we see a lot of patients suffering from pain in this area, and we want to assure them that non-addictive, minimally invasive treatment is available.

Also known as the coccyx, the tailbone is made up of several fused vertebrae. It hangs from the end of the spinal column and has a small role in anchoring the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis, but is mostly vestigial. We refer to pain in this area as “coccydynia.” It is likelier to be caused by bruising to soft tissues than a crack in the bone itself, although both can cause inflammation and are treated in similar ways.

Injuries to the tailbone are often associated with activities such as mountain biking, although bruises during childbirth are not uncommon. The body can heal bruising naturally, but it might do so faster after we provide an adjustment to relieve pressure or electric muscle stimulation to flush the bruise with fresh, nutrient-rich blood. Ultrasound treatment can ensure the bruise won’t heal in a way that will cause scars. We can also assign a low-impact exercise regimen that will enable the patient to regain a full range of motion and flexibility more quickly.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro is dedicated to helping our patients remain flexible and comfortable despite the forces regularly put on their bodies. One of the most common musculoskeletal disorders is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). This condition can put pressure on major nerves, causing pain and loss of muscle control, but at our office, we provide safe, non-invasive therapies.

The median nerve arises from the lower cervical an upper thoracic nerves. It runs the length of the arm, into the palm, and branches into the thumb and first four fingers. Along the way, it passes through a structure in the wrist called the carpal tunnel, which is made up of protective bones and ligaments. If the carpal tunnel is compressed, the median will be pinched, and the patient may feel numbness, dull pain, or tingling along the length of it and have difficulty moving their wrist and fingers.

CTS is usually an overuse injury. It is common among people who have to extend their hands and wrists for a long period and among people with conditions that cause inflammation. The carpal tunnel is densely packed with tendons, as well as the carpal nerve, and doesn’t have much room for swelling. People with CTS are advised to get rest and may have to wear arm braces to avoid flexing their wrists too much. But we can help them recover through methods such as therapeutic exercise, which will strengthen and improve the flexibility of the arm muscles, and therapeutic massages or electric muscle stimulation, which can relieve swelling.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.

Lifting Safety

People whose jobs require lots of physical labor are aware that there’s a right way and a wrong way to lift something. But people who have to carry heavy loads less frequently may not be aware of how to keep themselves safe. We see a lot of preventable injuries at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, and while we’re always happy to help people get back on their feet, we want our patients to understand how to keep themselves in good condition.

The first step of lifting safety is to never lift anything unless necessary. If you’re carrying something heavy for work that isn’t normally a part of your job, request the use of a dolly. If you must carry something, get a feel on it first to determine its center of gravity. Clear your path of obstructions, prop open all doors, and have a plan for where you’re going to set the object down and which way it will be facing.

When you lift the object squat down in front of it and use your leg muscles to lift yourself up. Keep your head up and position the object so that it is at mid-chest level. As you walk, rotate your entire body around corners; do not just twist your torso. Use your legs to crouch down again while depositing the object, slowly sliding your fingers out from under it.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.