Archive for balance problems
Cameron Park Chiropractor Warns: Falls Are an Issue for Young and Old Alike
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As a Cameron Park 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 Cameron Park 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
2555 Greenwood Ln Cameron Park, CA, 95682 USA
dr.yongkim@gmail.com • 530-677-7333
What does the word, “vertigo, ” suggest? Vertigo is the term for the dizzy disturbance a person suffers within a stationary environment. The perception is that the external world is tilting and even spinning. Vertigo might be quick and short- lived or chronic. But, in either case, the precise reason for vertigo should be identified and the correct treatment plan undertaken.
There are many causative factors for the problems of Vertigo. An inner ear ailment, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, will oftentimes manifest as the impact of a sustained head trauma or very bad cold. On occasion this particular vertigo is the result of the aging process. The trigger, often times though, fairly often is unknown. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is a wordy diagnosis, but it characterizes perfectly this non- progressive affliction that is attributable to, as its name suggests, a quick change in head posture. The difficulties are almost always unpredicted and variable.
It will be valuable to look at the functionality of the inner ear in an endeavor comprehend what causes the commonly incapacitating discomforts of this kind of vertigo. The brain senses changes in position and keeps equilibrium utilizing the fluid within the inner ear. Also in the inner ear are miniature calcium carbonate crystals, also known as otoconia. These crystals usually float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the responsive nerve endings in the inner ear, they lead to the discomforts of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
The good news is that chiropractic treatment can take care of the complaints of BPPV very quickly and effectively employing a technique known as the Epley maneuver. By means of the use of this method, a chiropractor rotates the head of a BPPV sufferer into a number of different positions, letting gravity move the calcium carbonate crystals into a local of the inner ear that is away from the nerve endings where they will cause no subsequent dizziness.
Your chiropractor has aided numerous individuals for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo by means of the Epley Maneuver technique. Quite often, with only one treatment the majority of patients no longer suffer from wooziness. Make an appointment with your Cameron Park Chiropractor. He can help!
