Author Archive for Teri Hines, DC

Feets Don’t Fail Me Now!

by Teri Hines, DC
June 6th, 2011

Athletes get it, housewives get it, students, commuters, walkers, and runners get it –occasional or persistent foot pain is universal and sometimes intolerable. The wear and tear on our bodies can sometimes manifest itself in unrelenting burning pain in the soles of our feet. The cause of this pain can be Plantar Fasciitis, which is defined as inflammation of the covering on the bottom of our feet, and is pronounced plan-tar fash-eye-tiss

Rogers AR Chiropractic | Plantar Fasciitis | foot levelers image

The plantar fascia is a broad band of fibrous tissue that runs along the sole of the foot. It starts at your heel and fans out to each of your toes. This connective tissue is like a thick rubber band that provides support, protects the underside of you foot, and most importantly supports the arch of your foot.

The definition of inflammation is an immediate or early response to tissue injury. This may last days or weeks and it is the body’s response to injury or invasion. When this condition persists and becomes chronic and the process of inflammation, tissue destruction, and repair all exist simultaneously

How long does this condition last you might ask? While it may take months to recover completely it does not go on forever, meaning it is self limiting and can and usually does resolve itself.

Here is a list of common treatment protocols for this condition:

  • Rest with decrease in current exercise
  • Anti inflammatory meds or steroid injections
  • Custom orthotics or heel cushion
  • Calf stretching or plantar stretching exercise
  • Chiropractic Manipulation
  • Ice or Heat Application
  • Walking program if inactive
  • Taping the foot or night splint
  • Upgrade footwear

Studies have shown that all these treatments are somewhat effective in treatment of this condition. The causative factors are diverse so evaluate your unique situation and use some combination of the treatment protocols above for 6-8 weeks, and then re evaluate your progress. Sometimes it is challenging to realize your own progress due to the nature of this painful condition and a healthcare professional can be an asset.

Once your condition resolves you might ask how you can keep this from returning. As the reasons for this condition are vague and multifaceted perhaps eliminating or minimizing risk factors is your best defense.

  • Maintain healthy weight
  • Avoid prolonged standing
  • Flexible Ankles
  • Good Arch Support
  • Moderation in Exercise & Cross Training
  • Periodic Chiropractic Alignment

Dr. Teri Hines

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Categories Foot Levelers
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Why Are Chiropractic Treatments Scheduled So Often?

by Teri Hines, DC
May 11th, 2011

This almost makes it sound like a chiropractic adjustment sets in motion some slippery process that loosens your joints setting you up for repetitive treatments or your entire skeleton will soon fall apart. It's almost like comparing chiropractic care to removing the lug nuts on your wheels so that your tires will fly off, mandating an immediate return to the body shop. So I have pondered this notion and searched the literature for any documentation on this phenomenon.

Perhaps it is the treatment schedule of coming to the clinic for several times a week or for a period of several weeks that supports this notion of compulsory repetitive care. It would seem that one chiropractic adjustment would be able to restore a vertebra to optimal position with one tap or thrust and all would be complete. However it is the tight muscles, ligaments, and tendons that create a rigid infrastructure necessitating several adjustments to restore proper alignment. Numerous factors can affect how many adjustments are required for restoration of proper alignment such as:

  • length of current pain pattern
  • congenital or acquired structural malformation
  • occupational hazards of repetitive muscle strain
  • stress levels and lifestyle choices
  • inter-vertebral disc integrity

Actually, many patients elect to continue chiropractic care after their initial symptoms resolve, because periodic elective "maintenance care" makes them feel better. I guess the adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could be applied here also. Once a patient has had to work diligently on recovery after a painful lingering back episode, they are often motivated to maintain their good alignment. Chiropractic treatment is an integral component to many healthy people's "health maintenance" plan; similar to diet, exercise and proper sleep.

Call us today at (479) 636-3021 to schedule your visit and experience the relief you deserve.

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Categories Activator Method
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Should You Seek Chiropractic Care After Being Involved in a Car Accident?

by Teri Hines, DC
May 4th, 2011

I would say absolutely "Yes"! Although you may not be fully aware of how much trauma has been absorbed into your body by the accident initially. It is preferable to be examined and have an appropriate course of treatment determined as soon as possible to facilitate optimal recovery. I often refer to the visual of the "crash dummy" in the auto commercials revealing how much a relatively minor impact affects the human body in a millisecond, almost faster than your brain can comprehend what happened.

Research has shown that pain patterns from tissue inflammation and trauma often do not surface for several days or even weeks following the accident. And below the muscle groups the bone position may be radically altered and these pain patterns and adaptations may not reveal themselves for several weeks to months. A spinal vertebra that is out of place may:

Rogers AR Chiropractic Car Accident

  • place pressure on the surrounding nerves and tissues
  • alter normal function and patterns
  • affect body movements
  • create muscle spasms and pain patterns

Although sore muscles, bruised, and swollen tissues may not seem like much of a long term problem, it's important to realize that at the cellular level these symptoms are caused from:

  • tears in muscle tissue
  • ruptures in blood vessels
  • strains along the ligaments and tendons.

The body's amazing ability to repair itself may take weeks to months and that is if the healing field is optimal. By optimal, I mean a body that is able to rest, hydrate, and recuperate and is not distracted with other disease processes or stress, that might take precedent over healing tissues.

Eventually these damaged tissues will heal themselves with scar tissue but your body will have had to make adaptations or modifications in your movements and body posturing. In this process of "healing" your body may actually reinforce or create a "bone out of place" situation. Unfortunately the effects of these misaligned vertebra may not be known to the patients for months after the accident creating these common symptoms:

  • chronic headaches
  • limits in neck range of motion
  • difficulty sleeping
  • tingling down the arms or fingertips
  • chronic pain

    • Your chiropractic care would include spinal adjustments and probably some supportive tissue care designed to speed the healing process. Although medication is a good adjunct during the healing process it often masks the symptoms without getting to the cause of the problem.

    You might say that you do not wish to trouble the insurance company with coverage of your care but this is what your policy is designed to cover. If the accident was not your fault, then your insurance company will be able to recuperate the funds from the guilty party or their insurance. If the accident is your fault, your automobile insurance will have coverage for that.

    So if you have been in an auto accident and realize you have been injured, I would recommend seeking chiropractic care as soon as possible. Immediate treatment could speed your recovery time and assist in restoring your optimal spinal alignment.

    Call us today at (479) 636-3021 to schedule your visit and experience the relief you deserve.

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    Categories auto accident chiropractor
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    Hines Health Patient – Lance Curtis of Bentonville

    by Teri Hines, DC
    April 27th, 2011

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    Categories Activator Method
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    Our Video Introduction – Comment Below and Let Us Know What You Think

    by Teri Hines, DC
    April 27th, 2011

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    Categories Activator Method, Cold Laser
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    Traditional Manual Manipulation VS Activator Method Adjustment

    by Teri Hines, DC
    April 18th, 2011

    As a Chiropractor in Rogers, Arkansas I am often asked what the differences are between the traditional bone popping style of chiropractic treatment (which I will refer to as Manual Manipulation) and my method of choice which is called the Activator Method. My first thought is to say that the end result is the same while the methodology or style is different. Although both methods utilize the doctor's hands for treatment of “bone out of place” there are some significant differences in delivery.

    Rogers Chiropractor | Activator Method image
    The ultimate goal of a chiropractic adjustment is the restoration of nerve flow so the body so the body can resume it's optimal performance. It is the removal of this nerve interference by repositioning the bones referred to as a chiropractic adjustment. Most of us are familiar with the manual adjustment that produces a popping sound as the bones are realigned.

    In contrast the Activator Method utilizes a hand held instrument that delivers a precise adjustment with only a light clicking sound from the instrument. Another significant difference between these two styles of treatment is the body position of the patient. In the manual manipulation the patient is repositioned frequently while the Activator Method allows the patient to remain face down and the instrument does the repositioning to change the line of drive of the adjustment. Some patients find the latter method to be preferable due to differing physical restrictions.

    I was raised on manual manipulation as a child, when my family would go to our family Chiropractor for monthly preventive care. Since this was our family way I had no reason to doubt the efficacy or fear it's methodology. However, I would often have a residual headache after a neck adjustment that would leave me uncomfortable for a day or so. As I explored these concerns with our chiropractor we were able to come up with some alternative methods for my spinal alignments and I realized that we each have unique needs and need to be evaluated individually.

    I do not believe that one size fits all or that we each benefit equally from the same type of chiropractic care. I made it my goal in my Chiropractic Career to research the most popular, effective, and safest methods of chiropractic care available. So while the destination is the same for all chiropractic methods the journey is as unique as the individual.

    Call us today at (479) 636-3021 to schedule your visit and experience the relief you deserve.

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    I Love Pregnant Women (And Why They Love Me!)

    by Teri Hines, DC
    April 11th, 2011

    Pregnancy is like training for a marathon and chiropractic care is an excellent tool to have in your training bag for your ultimate health and vitality. Few things brighten my day more than seeing an obviously pregnant woman waddle into my clinic for back care.

    This is such a transitional period in a woman’s life when her center of gravity clearly alters radically. Often resulting in low back discomfort due to shifts in weight bearing that can be painful and disruptive to this special time in a woman’s life. Frequently this is the first time a woman seeks chiropractic care, often times they are referred by:

    • Other patients
    • Midwife
    • Obstetrician

    It is my pleasure to reassure any expecting mother that I have the effective tools to assist in relieving her back pain and guide her towards a successful delivery. Not only does chiropractic care help ease back pain by realigning the spine and removing painful irritation to the nerves but it also prepares the pelvis for delivery by establishing it’s best position.

    Pregnancy is definitely a time when it can be challenging to endure the repositioning of a traditional manual adjustment due to their current physique. That is what makes the Activator Method so ideal for this type of patient. To receive an Activator adjustment the patient lays face down, with an abdominal cushion providing a center hole for her belly bump. Since the Activator Technique only requires the patient to lay face down and not be repositioned frequently throughout the procedure, most patients find this be a comfortable arrangement.

    It is my absolute joy to assist any mother during pregnancy, so she can feel her radiant best during this wonderful time of her life. Studies have shown that in addition to relieving low back pain and preparing for delivery Chiropractic care is very effective for reestablishing proper body alignment as the post pregnancy body is returning to stabilization.

    If you are pregnant and experiencing low back pain (or know someone who is) call us today at (479) 636-3021 and experience relief with an Activator adjustment.

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    Chiropractic Care in Rogers Arkansas with Cold Laser Therapy

    by Teri Hines, DC
    April 4th, 2011

    Here at Hines Health Chiropractic Clinic in Rogers, Arkansas my husband and I attend several chiropractic care seminars to stay current on the latest technique in safe, comfortable chiropractic care.

    At our most recent seminar my husband had purchased yet another new gadget that I feared would end up in the chiropractic gadget bone yard. It was a hand held laser that proclaims to speed up the healing process….

    Rogers AR Chiropractic Cold Laser Therapy image

    So I reviewed its merits in the brochure:

    • Reduction in tissue swelling by suppressing inflammatory enzymes
    • Reduction in pain by production of endorphins
    • Enhanced lymphatic drainage which speeds healing
    • Release tight muscles improving mobility
    • Faster bone repair by stimulating ballistic activity

    I didn't really give it much thought until I saw the results of this laser in our practice. Several of the patients had presented with unrelenting pain patterns that did not seem to be responding completely with their chiropractic adjustments. We provided a package of 10 laser treatments to these patients if they wished to utilize this new therapy service at our clinic.

    Our first patient to use the laser was a runner who had trained diligently for his first marathon and developed a medial knee irritation that was preventing him from training.

    The next patient was an elderly female patient with osteoarthritis in the knees that was causing tissue swelling so pronounced that walking was a problem.

    Then a young soccer player had a severe sprained ankle in the middle of the season and was currently using crutches.

    The last patient to use the laser therapy that week was a computer analyst with carpal tunnel who had been to a M.D. and was prescribed pain relievers, muscles relaxers, and an anti inflammatory.

    Although each of the above patients had vastly differing physical complaints, they all had one thing in common – none of them elected to finish their series of treatments. I questioned the patient's as to why they had elected to discontinue and the response was that since they had no more pain or swelling and asked if they could reserve their remaining sessions for a later date.

    And so after seeing first-hand the results from cold laser therapy I am now happy my husband purchased this gadget at the seminar.

    Call us today at (479) 636-3021 to schedule your visit and experience the relief you deserve.

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    Why Choose Chiropractic Care in Rogers, Arkansas?

    by Teri Hines, DC
    March 28th, 2011

    Most patients present to my clinic, Hines Health Chiropractic in Rogers, Arkansas because they're in PAIN OR LIMITATION and it is getting progressively worse or no better. Typically this is interrupting body movements, work habits, leisure activities, or sleeping patterns. No one likes to be in pain, but the question often remains – How do I get out of pain as quickly as possible?

    Rogers AR Chiropractic Back Pain Relief image

    Some common home remedies utilized are:

    • Rest and repair
    • Applications of ice or heat
    • Stretching or exercise
    • Visiting a medical doctor
    • Application of muscle ointment
    • Ace bandage or other support
    • Pain medications, anti inflammatory, muscle relaxant

    All of these offer some relief in varying degrees and often times relieve the symptoms effectively or long enough for the body to repair itself. However, sometimes these methods are merely a temporary cover up to the real cause lurking beneath your symptoms. Which Chiropractor's refer to as a subluxation or bone out of place irritating your nervous system?

    So what can chiropractic do for me, you might ask in your hour of desperation? The tools of the trade are my hands which I use to realign your spine and help your body remove the unrelenting pressure or irritation upon your nervous system. The pain you feel is actually your body's natural warning response to inappropriate nerve pressure.

    Most people are familiar with the "bone popping style" of a chiropractic adjustment, known as manual manipulation, which does a great job of realigning the spinal column. However my technique of choice is called the Activator Method which utilizes a hand held instrument that delivers a precise thrust to a specific location to achieve relief of your nerve irritation.

    A benefit of this gentle yet effective approach to a chiropractic alignment is it's high degree of specificity without the discomfort of the more traditional style of chiropractic adjustment. And if it's safety record were not enough to entice you into trying this technique then the longevity of it's holding pattern should impress you.

    I would say that this technique is safe enough for a new born baby or a 105 year old lady, both of which I have seen in my practice, with successful results. Hines Health Chiropractic clinic is staffed with Activator Chiropractors and we welcome you in to give this technique a try for your spinal health needs.

    Call us today at (479) 636-3021 to schedule your visit and experience the relief you deserve.

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