WOW!, another year and decade have passed. Thoughts for the New Year for me always center around GOAL setting. There are 8 areas that I focus on each year. When we break these down like this I find it much easier to be specific for each area of my life. Aim high and soar with the Eagles!

-HEALTH

-SPIRITUAL

-PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

-PROFESSIONAL

-FINANCIAL

-SOCIAL

-PERSONAL

-LEISURE

ARE YOUR MEDICAL BILLS COVERED? Did you know there is a portion of your automobile policy that not only allows you to go to any doctor you want regardless of your health insurance but pays your bills? Your car insurance protects your car, not the people inside of it. Medical Payments (often called Med Pay) or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers the medical cost of all passengers in your vehicle including you if they are injured in an accident. Med Pay will cover the medical cost resulting from an accident regardless of who was at fault. Only injuries caused directly by the accident will be covered by Med Pay. Keep in mind Med Pay is purchased on a by vehicle basis. This means if you have two cars you must purchase Med Pay for both if you wish to be covered in either car. It's also very important to point out that Med Pay is not a replacement for health insurance. Med Pay coverage is strictly limited to injuries that occur during auto accidents and almost always has a limit (We suggest a minimum of $10,000 in coverage). Your health insurance can also cover your injuries if you are in a car accident: the difference is that Med Pay will cover the other people in the car. Additionally, Med Pay or PIP covers your medical cost from an accident at 100%, usually without deductibles and co-payments. If you use your health insurance to cover your accident-related medical expenses you may be subject to plan restrictions, high deductible, co-payments and re-payment. What does all that mean for you? It means that at the end of your accident related treatment you may not have any outstanding doctor bills to pay and so have decreased your liability. This low cost insurance can be an effective way to pay for your treatment bills. Check your automobile declaration page or call your insurance agent to find out your specific coverage's. Most insurance agents do not recommended it. It is an optional coverage and you must request it.  Contact your insurance agent to find the right coverage to fit your individual needs. If you or anyone you know has been involved in an automobile accident the key to recovery is early evaluation and treatment. Don't wait to see if it goes away, call our office immediately.

An often overlooked treatment that is highly successful for slipped or herniated disc is NOW available in our office. This is a non-surgical alternative procedure for relieving low back, neck, arm and leg (sciatica) pain.

Treatment is directed towards relieving pressure on structures such as nerves and disc that are often a major source of pain. It can relieve the pain associated with bulging, herniated and degenerative disc. If you have had a positive MRI you are very much an excellent candidate. If you or someone you know have any one of these conditions have them call and schedule an appointment to see if they are a candidate for spinal decompression. Chiropractic first, Drugs second and Surgery last!

According to research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of adolescents are not getting adequate amounts of physical activity.  The WHO recommends adolescents participate in an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.  However, data obtained by the WHO from 1.6 million students between 2001 and 2016 found only 1 out of 5 children met the WHO’s recommendation for daily physical activity.  The WHO attributes this lack of physical activity to increase in home screen time which is replacing the time for physical activity.  While the data is extremely concerning and parents and educational leaders need to step up to create and implement solutions, the good news is that over the 15 years reviewed, the physical activity for boys has actually improved.  Unfortunately, over that same period of time, there has been no improvement for the physical activity in girls.

A recent report studied how using foam pillows of three different heights affected the comfort and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the neck and mid-upper back muscles of participants. The study was performed by a team of therapists and researchers in the University of São Paulo School of Medicine in São Paulo, Brazil. Performed in 2014 and published in 2015, the study revealed the associations among pillow height, EMG activity, and perceived comfort. Twenty-one asymptomatic adults were observed using three different foam pillows of 5 cm, 10 cm and 14 cm, or approximately 2 inches, 4 inches and 5 1/2 inches. Study participants rated their comfort using a 100-mm visual analog scale, while researchers calculated EMG activity of the neck and mid-upper back muscles, called the sternocleidomastoid and upper and middle trapezius muscles. Participants considered height 1 (approximately 2 inches) to be the least comfortable and height 2 (approximately 4 inches) the most comfortable. In addition, all muscle groups showed statistical differences in EMG activity between heights 1 and 2, but not between heights 2 and 3. Individuals who prefer sleeping with a flat pillow may want to think twice, as a four-inch pillow may be the best choice for perceived comfort and back and neck support.