The Bedford Chiropractic Clinic and Wellness Centre

American children under the age of 15 visit physicians for middle ear infections more than any other reason. Ear infections (otitis media) represent the most common cause for which antibiotics are prescribed for children. Almost 10% of children will have experienced an ear infection by the age of three months. Nearly 50% of children will experience three or more episodes of ear infection by the age of three. The annual cost associated with the management of pediatric ear infections lands around $5.3 billion . The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises an initial observation period for management of an ear infection. These clinical practice guidelines refer to deferring antibiotic treatment for 48-72 hours. The recommended observation period stems from research indicating antibiotic treatments should only be recommended when absolutely necessary due to the damage they inflict on the gastrointestinal tract. Despite this research, surveys conclude that only 15% of medical ph...

Doctor, This white paper discusses the significance of the study published in the 2013 Public Library of Science One Journal titled “Investigating the Autonomic Nervous System Response to Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Recent statistics reveal that one out of every sixty-eight children suffer with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is defined as a complex developmental disorder that can cause problems with thinking, feeling, language and the ability to relate to others. It is a neurological disorder, which affects the function of the brain. Science and research behind the neurological influence of a chiropractic adjustment explains why and how children and adults with autism can be helped. This research looked at autonomic nervous system function in children with autism The objectives of this study were to:  ▪ Examine whether anxiety causes significant measurable changes in indicators of the autonomic nervous system in an autism spectrum disorder(ASD...

This white paper discusses the significance of the study published in the 2017 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine titled “The Quality of Life of Children Under Chiropractic Care Using PROMIS-25: Results from a Practice-Based Research Network.” Stress is at an all-time high, and it influences more ages in more serious ways than ever before. Studies show that children today experience more stress and anxiety than institutionalized psychiatric patients did in the 1950’s. And these kids eventually turn into drugged-up adults. Nearly one in every four women over the age of 50 take an anti-depressant while over 13% of the entire population take mind-altering anti-psychotic medications. Implementation of strategies and activities that do not come with huge risks and unnecessary harm should be the focus of the medical system. Chiropractic offers a unique perspective and individualized care that can help curb the severity and course of depression and anxiety. This research sh...

This white paper discusses the significance of the study published in the 2017 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine titled “The Quality of Life of Children Under Chiropractic Care Using PROMIS-25: Results from a Practice-Based Research Network.” Stress is at an all-time high, and it influences more ages in more serious ways than ever before. Studies show that children today experience more stress and anxiety than institutionalized psychiatric patients did in the 1950’s. And these kids eventually turn into drugged-up adults. Nearly one in every four women over the age of 50 take an anti-depressant while over 13% of the entire population take mind-altering anti-psychotic medications. Implementation of strategies and activities that do not come with huge risks and unnecessary harm should be the focus of the medical system. Chiropractic offers a unique perspective and individualized care that can help curb the severity and course of depression and anxiety. This research ...

This white paper discusses the significance of the 2012 study published in the Journal of American Osteopathic Association called “Osteopathic manipulative treatment in pregnant women”.  Few areas of healthcare deserve safer and more effective approaches than pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Bringing babies into the world in the safest and least invasive methods should be the norm. Unfortunately, current statistics reveal the most developed and advanced countries in the world experience some of the worst outcomes. The United States ranks at the very bottom for maternal and infant health compared to every other developed and industrialized nation. The facts and stats are startling, and something must be done. Chiropractic can play a part. If a pill could be created that garnered the benefits of chiropractic along with its safety and efficacy, more soon-to-be mothers would utilize chiropractic and more newborns would have a safer and healthier start to their life . This speci...

  This white paper discusses the significance of the 1994 study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics called “Chiropractic management of primary nocturnal enuresis.” Bed-wetting is a struggle that plagues millions of children every year. Kids find it embarrassing and parents can find it extremely frustrating. It wears mentally and emotionally on the kids while the parents are burdened with the extra workload of nightly sleep disturbances, more laundry, and restrictions on the ability to allow kids to go to sleepovers. Most bed-wetting during the night occurs because children do recognize their need to urinate . There are many known causes, some of them even due to underlying psycho-social challenges . But many of them involve a nervous system “recognition” problem . Without the proper recognition triggered in the brain, the body has no ability to “hold” their bladder until reaching the bathroom. This is why and how chiropractic care has ...

Summer is unfortunately nearly over, at the end of the month the children are back to school. For most people this means pencils, notebook paper and mountains of textbooks. But sending your child to start, or return to school requires some homework from the parents. Here at Bedford Chiropractic Clinic, I endeavour to be both your chiropractor and educator. So here are some tips for a healthy start Back-To-School: Backpacks: An over-stuffed, incorrectly packed or worn backpack can result in a serious injury and affect young developing spines. How heavy is heavy? Even a backpack weighing 15 percent of a student’s body weight is too heavy to maintain a standing posture. This will cause undue stress on their young spines and can cause vertebral subluxations leading to postural changes and even scoliosis. Many of the current bags children are using may be fashionable, but unless they allow for even distribution across the back, they can cause pain. School can be a challen...

Low back pain might begin as acute due to an injury, but can become chronic. Managing pain appropriately at an early stage can help limit symptoms in both time and severity.   Pain is typically divided into three categories: acute, chronic, and neuropathic.  Common Symptoms of Lower Back Problems Specifically identifying and describing symptoms can help lead to a more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan. Low back pain is typically characterized by a combination of the following symptoms: Dull, aching pain. Pain that remains within the low back (axial pain) is usually described as dull and aching rather than burning, stinging, or sharp. This kind of pain can be accompanied by mild or severe muscle spasms, limited mobility, and aches in the hips and pelvis. Pain that travels to the buttocks, legs, and feet. Sometimes low back pain includes a sharp, stinging, tingling or numb sensation that moves down the thighs and into the low legs and feet, ...

Summer is a time for swimming, travel, and get-togethers with family and friends. The last thing you want is for your back pain to throw a wrench into everything. Try these 6 suggestions to enjoy the great outdoors without the hassles: 1. Warm up first.  If you haven't been active lately, it's best to start gradually. Do some slow stretches or take a short walk before joining that basketball game or digging up those overgrown bushes you've been meaning to get to.  2. Make a splash.  Water's buoyancy is a boon for your back. It not only eases lower back compression, it allows greater range of motion without the risk of falling. Warm water has the added benefit of relieving stiffness and relaxing tight muscles, which can aggravate back pain. 3. Skip the flip-flops.  Flip-flops and flats offer little support, putting stress on your back. Sandals can be a better way to keep cool. Look for styles that hold your feet securely—no slipping from side to s...

Do you suffer from work-related chronic pain? Does pain you experience affect you work? If you answered “YES” to both questions, then you belong to the big group of tradesmen who suffer from chronic pain. In fact, tradesmen account for the highest number of injuries, musculoskeletal conditions and other health risks of any other profession. Nearly a quarter of all plumbers, builders, roofers and other tradesmen experience back pain, sciatica, muscle stress and strains from lifting equipment, bending over all the time, tripping, slipping, and falling due to managing equipment.  What causes chronic pain? In some cases, chronic pain is associated with specific injury from the past. On the other hand, there are also people who suffer from chronic pain but didn’t experience any injuries at work. It’s because chronic pain is usually result of combination of different factors. It can also be related to conditions such as: Arthritis Lower back pain Nerve damage Neck Pain Dis...

Did you get hurt during your workout?  It’s time to grab the heating pad… or the ice pack… or both—who even knows! There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to using heat or cold to help treat common exercise injuries like strains, sprains, pulled muscles, shin splits, knee injuries and tenderness. Let’s put an end to it once and for all! Here’s your temperature care breakdown, so you know when it’s time to sing a song of fire or one of ice. Ice, Ice, Baby As a general rule, always choose ice for injuries and inflammation. Cold restricts blood flow and reduces inflammation and swelling. Whenever there’s bleeding in underlying tissue—think sprains, strains or bruising—ice treatment is the way to go. You can use cold therapy in two ways: immediate or rehabilitation. Immediate treatment: helps prevent the injured area from becoming stiff by reducing tissue fluid. Rehabilitation: aims to restore normal function to an affected area by reducing pain and spasms, ...

Ibuprofen WARNING: Regular usage for just ONE week 'increases heart attack risk' EXPERTS have advised people to try and avoid regularly taking ibuprofen after research showed just a week on the painkiller was enough to increase the risk of a heart attack by half. A major new analysis has unmasked the health hazard in the common anti-inflammatory drugs with evidence suggesting the danger exists even after one day. The scientists say the over the counter and prescription pills including ibuprofen, diclofenac, celecoxib and naproxen should now be used with care and at the lowest possible dose. Heart attack risk increases with age and is made worse by raised cholesterol . So the experts say older people especially now need to carefully weigh up the need to take anti-inflammatories with their GP. The latest strong note of caution over the group of medicines known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [ NSAIDs ] has been urged following analysis of the health reco...

Local chiropractor urges routine spinal checks for children Bedford chiropractor Dr Surinder Sandhu is backing calls from a national organisation that parents should consider regular spinal check-ups for their infants and children. The United Chiropractic Association (UCA), which has 600 members in the UK and abroad, says the check-ups should be thought of in exactly the same way as dental checks. The UCA is highlighting the health benefits to children as part of its 2017 Spinal Awareness Week on 15-19 May.  The campaign – Checking Future Adults … Today! – points to research where parents reported unexpected improvements in their child’s health after having chiropractic care. UCA executive board member Dr Jonathan Clarke says despite it being shown that spinal check-ups can contribute towards children maintaining a healthy body, most parents don’t know about the benefits: “It’s an awareness issue,” he said. “Parents will get their kids’ teeth, eyes and hearing checked ...

Botanist James Wong knows his onions, and he says eat the red ones If microwaved in a little water, for a short time, broccoli’s vitamin A and carotene levels increase by five It’s been a while, I tell the botanist and broadcaster James Wong, the author of How to Eat Better, since I’ve looked inside a cookbook (I mean, an aspirational cookbook, its cover luscious with fruit, with an aesthetically pleasing author) and found a recipe for macaroni cheese, containing loads of cheddar and Parmesan and a litre of milk. Yes, the pasta is wholemeal, but it feels verboten. I mean, are we even allowed to refer to “creamy, cheesy goodness”? “How scandalous! Dairy! And a litre of it!” exclaims Wong, feigning shock. However, having not included options for the “lactose intolerant”, the Kew Gardens-trained botanist — familiar as the face of programmes such as the award-winning BBC Two show Grow Your Own Drugs, and a regular on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time — admits to being “a bit wo...

Let’s face it, most of us don’t take very good care of our spines. This lack of care can lead to physical discomfort and make us susceptible to future injuries and complications. Do your spine, and your overall health a favor and take the time to treat your spine to a few of these 11 indulgences: 1. Make exercise a lifestyle Exercise is essential when it comes to maintaining a healthy spine—and it can also aid in the rehabilitation of your injured spine. You don’t need to be an expert in physical fitness to indulge your spine with regular exercise. A simple exercise program that focuses on stretching and strengthening the back, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles can go a long way toward distributing nutrients into your spinal discs and soft tissues, accelerating your healing process, and keeping your discs, muscles, ligaments, and joints healthy. 2. Engage your mind If you suffer from chronic pain or discomfort associated with your spine, take the time to engage in mindful...