The Bedford Chiropractic Clinic and Wellness Centre

Do you suffer from headaches or migraines? For those of you who have visited us here, you would recognise this question, regardless of the reason you came in to see us. It has been estimated that 10 million people in the UK suffer from headaches on a regular basis (nhs.uk). So unsurprisingly here at the clinic we see a lot of patients suffering headaches, whether it being their main complaint or something that we have uncovered during the case history. Quite often they can describe these as ‘normal’ headaches.  There is no such thing as a ‘normal’ headache. Some of you may ask, ‘What do headaches have to do with your spine?’ Well there are hundreds of types of headaches but some of the most common are tension headaches, migraines and cervicogenic headaches, all of which can be influenced by spinal health and posture. Tension Headaches Those who suffer with tension headaches, often describe a feeling of band like pressure across the forehead and temples. They can also des...

Stress Stress is a reality of modern living. Especially in Western Society, where longer hours are being worked and the media is constantly overloading our senses with the latest tragedy, it’s easy to see why many people experience anxiety levels ranging from mild to gut wrenching. The good news is that chiropractic care is useful for helping individuals manage their stress levels. Read on to see how visiting a chiropractor might just be what you need to add more relaxation to your life. First, it’s important to understand how the body reacts to stress. There are three basic “channels” through which we perceive stress: environment, body, and emotions. Environmental stress is rather self-explanatory; let’s say you are walking down a quiet road and you hear a loud bang nearby, similar to an explosion. That is an environmental stressor. Pollution would be another example of environmental stress. Stress through the body includes illness, lack of sleep or poor nutrition....

Get fit without getting injured The gym; an intimidating testosterone-filled place full of bodybuilders and fitness freaks in lycra. For some, this can already be the ‘nope’ point. I mean, who wants to rock up to a building full of sweaty gym rats?! Once you have gotten over this hurdle, and accepted that your health and fitness comes first, then you can focus on your own mission and get down to work. First, depending on your goals, it’s always a good idea to record your progress in a notebook or phone app. Shedding that extra pound or maybe even lifting an extra rep all adds up in the long run. Evidence of where you started, and proof of your progress, can keep you going through the tough times. So, you’ve got your mind on a goal, your target destination. You’re underway and loving the new body you’re getting. But how do you keep progressing whilst limiting injury? Did you know that the most common gym injury is caused by bad form (wrong or poor technique). Fo...

Regular Chiropractic Care and Effective Exercise When we work on developing new skills in sports or activities we're counting on our nerve system to perform its critical functions of command and control. These functions are required for effective training of muscles, tendons, and joints, so that these musculoskeletal structures can advance in adaptability and performance. As your body's master system, your nerve system is responsible for coordinating all the physiological processes of all your body's other systems. The interrelations among these complex activities must be addressed instantaneously and accurately. Regular chiropractic care helps ensure that your nerve system is free of nerve interference and operating at peak capacity. As a result, regular chiropractic care helps us advance in our exercise and sports activities, gain new skills, and enjoy long-term health and well-being.

Scoliosis: What You Need to Know Scoliosis (pronounced sko-lee-o-sis) is a three-dimensional deformity that occurs when the spine becomes abnormally rotated and curved sideways. Most often this deformity has no known cause, in which case it is called idiopathic scoliosis. Common Early Signs of Scoliosis Clothes fit awkwardly or hang unevenly.  A parent, friend, or even the person with scoliosis might notice that a shirt or blouse appears uneven, which could be cause for further investigation. Sideways curvature observed while in bathing suit or changing.  For instance, a parent could first notice the sideways curvature in an adolescent’s back while at the pool or beach. Oftentimes scoliosis is first suspected when someone notices something slightly off and comments. Some examples could include: Even if a newly discovered asymmetry appears minor, it should be checked by a doctor because scoliosis is easier to treat when caught early. “Can a chiropractor fix ...

Proof that chiropractic treatment helps migraine sufferers Seventy-two per cent of migraine sufferers in a clinical trial experienced either ‘substantial’ or ‘noticeable’ improvement after a period of chiropractic treatment, defying historical skepticism of chiropractics by some medical practitioners. The randomised clinical trial was undertaken by Dr Peter Tuchin, a chiropractor for the past 20 years, as part of his recently-completed PhD thesis at  Macquarie University . “Around 22 per cent [of patients] had substantial reduction – which means that more than 60 percent of their symptoms reduced during the course of the treatment,” Tuchin says. “What makes this a really strong result is that this was a really chronic group – the average length of time they’d had migraines was 18 years. To get a change of that sort of magnitude in a really chronic group was quite amazing. RELATED STORIES Penicillin allergy testing: an interview with Dr. Eric Macy Headache and mig...