Are Pregnancy Massages Safe?

 

If you’d like to experience a pregnancy massage in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, or Nitro, WV, Dr. Jay McClanahan at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center has the gentle, caring hands you need.

Are Pregnancy Massages Safe?

As a general rule, a pregnancy massage in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV with Dr. McClanahan is safe. However, it’s not usually a good idea if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, have congenital heart disease, or other issues that indicate a high-risk pregnancy. It’s also best to avoid a massage if you’ve had surgery or an organ transplant recently.

Most experts recommend waiting until after your first trimester. And it’s always important to get approval from your OB/GYN first. They’ll let you know if there’s any reason to avoid a massage. Unless they have any objections, a prenatal massage from Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center should not only be safe but can provide a variety of benefits.

Benefits of Pregnancy Massage

Among other things, a prenatal massage can offer three amazing benefits for pregnant women.

Relief of Pain, Tension, and Swelling

A woman’s body goes through a great deal during pregnancy. Everything shifts to accommodate a growing life and to bring that life into the world. While a beautiful process, it can cause several issues in the body.

One common issue in pregnancy is swelling, which is often caused by reduced circulation. It can also occur when the uterus puts pressure on blood vessels. The uterus also sometimes puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, leading to pain, weakness, and more.

Pregnancy can also put pressure on the joints, muscles, and more, leading to pain, tension, and discomfort throughout the body. A prenatal massage can help improve circulation, relieve tension, increase oxygen to the muscles, and help relieve pressure on the nerves.

Regulation of Hormones

Massages are also proven to regulate hormones related to depression and anxiety, such as norepinephrine, cortisol, dopamine, and serotonin. Regulation of these hormones helps improve the mood and can even lead to fewer complications during delivery and a healthier baby.

Better Sleep Quality

As you carry around and care for the life inside of you, getting good quality sleep is essential. Unfortunately, this can be difficult during pregnancy, but pregnancy massages can help. The regulation of hormones, relaxation, and pain relief they provide can help you sleep as you should.

Experience the benefits of pregnancy massage in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV with Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center by calling (304) 776-1520 for an appointment.

Spinal Degeneration

 

If you’re suffering from or want to prevent spinal degeneration in Teays Valley, St. Albans, Charleston, Cross Lanes, or Nitro, WV, Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center can provide effective treatment options to help.

What is Spinal Degeneration?

The spine plays an essential role in your daily life. It is directly tied to your ability to walk, sit, stand, and bend. It helps you pick up your kids, work, unload the groceries, shower, and get dressed. It is also responsible for protecting your nerves.

Due to the daily wear and tear, the spine takes a beating constantly. Over time, it begins to wear down or degenerate, affecting the function of the entire body. Posture issues and injuries can cause it to wear down more quickly. This typically happens in four phases.

Phase 1: The first phase isn’t very severe, and you might not realize that there’s an issue yet. You’ll likely notice a slight difference in the curve of your spine and in your balance. Without treatment at this point, it can lead to pressure on the joints, nerves, and discs, affecting the posture.

Phase 2: The second phase is often accompanied by chronic fatigue, pain, and aches, which can all cause emotional and mental stress. These effects can lead to further changes in the posture, bone spurs, and narrowing discs. If you seek treatment for spinal degeneration in Teays Valley, St. Albans, Charleston, Cross Lanes, or Nitro, WV at this point, you still have a high chance of reversing the condition.

Phase 3: Life often changes tremendously at this point. Due to the effects of the first two phases, patients typically find themselves in a great deal of pain with less energy, nerve damage, more significant posture changes, advanced bone decay or deformation, and permanent scar tissue. It can be difficult to move as they once did. They lose some of their height and the curve of the spine becomes very pronounced. Dr. McClanahan can help reduce these symptoms and some of the effects.

Phase 4: The final phase of spinal degeneration brings extreme imbalance of the posture and limited mobility. Patients typically have permanent scar tissue, fused bones, extreme nerve damage, and severe calcium damage. Most of the damage at this point is irreversible. However, visiting Dr. McClanahan at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center can help decrease your discomfort and pain while helping improve your quality of life.

Don’t let spinal degeneration in Teays Valley, St. Albans, Charleston, Cross Lanes, or Nitro, WV take over your life. Schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center by calling (304) 776-1520.

What is a Subluxation?

 

If you’re suffering from a subluxation in Teays Valley, St. Albans, Charleston, Cross Lanes, or Nitro, WV, Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center can help you achieve relief.

What Is a Subluxation?

A subluxation occurs when a joint becomes partially dislocated, and it typically occurs in the spine, elbow, patella, or shoulder. Subluxations are usually caused by two things: injuries and weakened joints.

While a major accident, like an auto accident, can certainly cause subluxation, less severe incidents can cause them, too. In fact, a small fall or grabbing a child’s arm to keep them from falling can cause a partial dislocation.

Weakened joints make it easier for subluxations to occur. Joints often weaken with age, due to inactivity, and even during pregnancy, as the weight and pressure loosen a mother’s joints and ligaments. Certain medical conditions, job activities, exercise, and repetitive motion can also make joints susceptible.

Symptoms

It’s often easy to overlook a subluxation. As they are not as pronounced as a break or a luxation, which is a full dislocation, they are not as easy to recognize. Therefore, it’s important to know the symptoms so that you can address the condition as soon as possible.

The most common symptoms include the following:

• Pain and swelling near a joint
• Changes in mobility, range of motion, or balance
• Numbness, stiffness, tingling, weakness, or instability around a joint

If you notice any of these symptoms of subluxations and live in Teays Valley, St. Albans, Charleston, Cross Lanes, or Nitro, WV, it’s important that you schedule a visit with Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center as soon as possible.

Treatments for Subluxations

One of the most effective treatments for partial dislocation is a chiropractic adjustment. Putting the joints back in their proper place can help reduce pain, inflammation, and discomfort. It can also take pressure off of the nearby joints and muscles, which can improve range of motion, balance, and more. Dr. McClanahan may also recommend therapeutic exercise to help address the issue and prevent further subluxations in the area.

Don’t let a subluxation slow you down in Teays Valley, St. Albans, Charleston, Cross Lanes, or Nitro, WV. Schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center by calling (304) 776-1520 today.

DOT Exams

 If you are a commercial vehicle operator, Dr. Jay McClanahan of the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center provides fast, convenient, and affordable DOT exams in Nitro, WV.

 

Purpose of DOT Exams

Operating a commercial vehicle is considered “safety-sensitive,” according to the Department of Transportation. In other words, it can impact both your safety and others within the vicinity of your moving vehicle. If you are suffering from any mental, physical, or emotional issues, it could potentially be deadly.

As such, the FMCSA, or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, mandates that commercial vehicle operators be examined regularly. If drivers do not comply, they will not be able to maintain their CDL.

 

What is Involved in a DOT Exam?

DOT exams in Nitro, WV typically follow a three-part process. It begins with obtaining information about your medical history, including any current or past illnesses and diseases that either you or your family suffer from.

The next step is the actual exam, which includes:

-Measuring height and weight

-Taking blood pressure and pulse

-Vision and hearing tests

-Range of motion test

-Urinalysis

-Checking for problems with breathing or swallowing

-Watching for neurological issues, like coordination or speech problems

Additional tests and checks may be completed if Dr. McClanahan feels they're necessary. The last part of the process is the final paperwork. You’ll receive the exam results, which you’ll need to turn into the DOT. You’ll also receive your medical card that you should keep on you anytime you are driving.

 

How Long Are DOT Exams Valid?

Generally, DOT exams remain valid for two years. However, if the medical examiner notices any issues, like high blood pressure, that need to be monitored, the exam will be valid for a shorter period.

 

Exams are essential for your health and safety. If your medical card is about to expire, call to schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center by calling (304) 776-1520. We also accept walk-ins for DOT exams in Nitro, WV.

Benefits of Chiropractic Massage Therapy

 If traditional forms of pain treatment have failed to provide you relief, you might want to consider massage therapy in Nitro, WV with Dr. Jay McClanahan at the Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center.

How Patients Can Benefit From Massage Therapy

Many people who suffer from pain are often limited in their treatment options. Some people rely heavily on prescription medications and surgery. However, both of these options can lead to bad outcomes. Fortunately, massage therapy in Nitro, WV provides relief that often leads to life-changing results.

 

Lower Back Pain Relief

Many people struggle with lower back pain. In many cases, patients rely on medication and pain management to get relief. However, alternative treatments like a chiropractic massage help relieve sharp pain and tightness that many people experience with their lower backs.

 

Ease Tense Muscles

A chiropractic massage can help ease muscle tension and reduce stress. By combining massages with chiropractic adjustments, the body's nervous system is restored to its normal function, while at the same time muscles start to relax, stretch, and loosen. The combination of massages and adjustments decreases pain and increases mobility and movement.

 

Increases Circulation

Chiropractors who perform massage therapy help increase a person's blood circulation. When the circulatory system is healthy and active, people will see an improvement in their energy, heart health, posture, and more. A strong circulatory system helps alleviate many types of pain and also improves a person's breathing.

 

Treat Joint and Muscle Pain

A chiropractic massage is an effective tool to relieve muscle and joint pain. Tight or strained muscles affect more than just the muscles. Any surrounding tissue that's injured can cause joints to tighten, which often results in more pain in and around the affected area. Massage therapy and chiropractic care loosens muscles and realigns joints. A chiropractic massage also releases any excess fluids that build up around joints.

 

To learn more about chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy in Nitro, WV, contact Dr. McClanahan and his team at the Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center by calling (304) 776-1520 today.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

 Dr. Jay McClanahan of the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center offers electrical muscle stimulation in Nitro, WV to help relieve pain and aid in the recovery process.

What is Electrical Muscle Stimulation?

Electrical muscle stimulation is also known as E-stim and EMS. It is a treatment during which electrical impulses are sent to a targeted area to speed up the natural recovery process and address pain.

 

How Does it Work?

Dr. McClanahan will connect electrodes to the area being treated. The E-stim device sends electrical pulses through the electrodes, which causes the muscles to contract repeatedly. The contractions help strengthen the muscles as well as promote blood flow to that area. The pulses also block receptors from sending pain signals to the brain. Treatment can be used at different points in the treatment process. However, it is often beneficial for people who cannot yet comfortably manage physical therapy or exercise.

 

Benefits of Treatment

Electrical muscle stimulation in Nitro, WV provides several benefits, including the following:

-Aids in recovery

-Reverses or prevents muscular atrophy

-Promotes the production of endorphins, which improves the mood and encourages relaxation

-Reduces swelling and soreness, including after a rigorous workout

-Relieves pain associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia

-Relieves body aches, fatigue, chronic headaches, and chronic pain in muscles and joints

 

Conditions Electrical Muscle Stimulation Treats

There are many conditions that electrical muscle stimulation is used to treat, some of which are listed below.

-Loss of motor skills

-Tendonitis

-Bursitis

-Spinal cord injuries

-Inflammation of the nerves

-Joint pain

-Muscle weakness

-Stroke

-Fibromyalgia

-Arthritis

-Chronic stress and muscle tension

-Sports injuries

-Muscle spasms

-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you suffer from a condition that electrical muscle stimulation can help, Dr. McClanahan will discuss the benefits and the treatment process with you.

 

Who Should Not Receive Treatment?

Electrical muscle stimulation is generally a safe process. However, there are some situations in which treatment is not recommended. For example, patients who have skin sensitivities, have pacemakers or other heart devices, and women who are pregnant. Dr. McClanahan will help determine if you’re a good candidate by gathering the necessary medical information.

 

If you are considering electrical muscle stimulation in Nitro, WV, book an appointment with Dr. McClanahan by calling (304) 776-1520. The Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center proudly serves patients from Nitro, Charleston, Teays Valley, Cross Lanes, and St. Albans.

Custom Foot Orthotics

 When you suffer from various problems with your feet, it’s important to explore proper relief. Dr. Jay McClanahan offers custom foot orthotics in Nitro, WV at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center.

How Custom Foot Orthotics are Beneficial

Walking can be uncomfortable when you are having issues with alignment. Often, foot pain can cause other problems from head to toe. By exploring foot orthotics, such as shoe inserts and arch supports, you will find that they compensate for deformities and help redistribute your weight properly. While there are over-the-counter orthotics that you can buy, custom ones work more effectively and efficiently. They can address foot abnormalities and be tailored to meet any specific conditions or demands that you might have. Depending on what the orthotics are meant to do, they can help relieve pain, prevent injuries, and even improve sports performance.

When you wear custom orthotics on a regular basis, you will find that you can improve posture and reduce your lower back pain. You may find that you’ll have better balance and be able to walk and stand for longer periods of time without feeling foot fatigue. An added benefit is that, due to proper weight distribution, you won’t encounter bunions, corns, or calluses.

How to Know When You Need Custom Foot Orthotics

You may find that you run into a number of problems when you spend too much time on your feet. Some of the warning signs that you may need extra help include:

-Pain in the back, neck, shoulders, and hips

-Bunions

-Blisters

-Circulation problems

When you talk with Dr. McClanahan about custom foot orthotics in Nitro, WV, he’ll determine what issues are present and what needs to be done. Depending on your condition, the orthotics can be customized to take pressure off of other parts of the body and even realign the bones inside of your feet and ankles.

Anyone and everyone can benefit from orthotics. Additionally, these can be used as part of a more comprehensive plan with chiropractic care. It can help realign your body so that you can stand, walk, and run without putting any additional stress on your body. Quality orthotics should be prescribed by a chiropractor, so let our office help you determine if it’s time to make this investment.

Talk to Your Chiropractor About Custom Foot Orthotics

Don’t experience foot pain any longer than necessary. Start exploring the benefits of custom foot orthotics with Dr. McClanahan in Nitro, WV today. We can schedule an appointment so that you can come in for a consultation. Once the chiropractor has had a chance to perform a visual inspection and talk to you about your condition and pain levels, recommendations can be made.

Call for your appointment today at (304) 776-1520.