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Hello friends,

It seems to come up again and again.  I was asked today by a patient why the various Chiropractors in Ottawa are so vastly different in their Chiropractic treatment approaches.  This question came from a patient who had been through previous Chiropractic treatment and right as I began working through a very tight and knotted muscle.  She had been told by her previous Chiropractor that her problem involved only her spine and its interference with her nervous system.  Her Chiropractor went on to explain that Chiropractors should only be adjusting joints and not treating muscles or the involved soft tissues. 

As always, I’m not one to refute diagnoses given by other doctors until I actually examine the patient myself.  At the same time, I feel it must be said that I’ve never seen a problem with a joint (spine or extremity) that didn’t involve some sort of soft tissue compromise as well.  To address a joint while at the same time turning a blind eye to the surrounding muscles and other soft tissues is questionable at best. 

Many Chiropractors in Ottawa focus their practice on the spine and various adjusting procedures to correct joint dysfunction.  There is no problem with this approach, so long as these Chiropractors make sure to also refer the patient to a soft tissue therapist for proper co-management of their problem.  Many other Chiropractors (myself included) are integrating soft tissue treatment with their spinal and joint therapies. 

The soft tissues of your body (muscles, ligaments, fascia, nerves etc) along with your bones and joints move together as friends in life….do yourself a favour and treat them as such. 

Your Ottawa Chiropractor,

Dr. Chad Wilson 

The Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA) has recently re-launched its Lift Light, Shovel Right

campaign.  The chiropractic based campaign provides valuable information and tips as they relate to protecting your health and more specifically your back while shoveling this winter.  Chiropractors in Ottawa and other areas of the country typically see an increase in the number of lower back and spinal injuries immediately following moderate to heavy snow falls.  I’ve provided a few tips below which you can follow to help protect yourself this winter.

• Warm up your body before beginning shoveling.  For example, take a short walk and get your blood moving and muscles warmed up. 
• Purchase an ergonomic shovel.  These are well worth the investment.  Ask your Chiropractor for their recommendation on a suitable shovel.
• Break large jobs up into smaller chunks of work.  Resting between bouts of shoveling will allow your muscles and joints some time to recover before being stressed again. 
• Dress warmly.  A cold body is more likely be injured.
• Lift with your legs and not with your back.  We’ve all heard this one but you’d be amazed at the number of patients in my Chiropractic practice who don’t quite understand what it means.  It means keeping your back straight (properly aligned) while pushing up with your legs to lift the weight. 
• Push the snow instead of lifting the snow.
• Don’t twist and throw.  If you absolutely must lift the snow instead of pushing it, be sure to turn your body by shuffling your feet instead of twisting at the waist.  The rotation of the spine along with the added weight of the snow in the shovel is a great stress to your back. 

I wish you all a happy weekend.  Apparently we’re about to receive another 10 cm of snow tomorrow.  Pay attention to the points above.  Hopefully they’ll help you avoid a trip to the Chiropractor next week!

Your Ottawa Chiropractor,

Dr. Chad Wilson

Two years have now gone by since I had the privilege of integrating my Chiropractic practice within Meadowlands Family Health Centre.  Since that time, we have been working on developing strong relationships with various health care providers in the Ottawa area. 

Through my discussions with patients, I’ve learned that Chiropractors in Ottawa are in many instances extremely different from one another.  Some of these differences come from the school in which each Chiropractor has been taught.  Other differences stem from the organizations, the practice management groups, the readings, and the peers that each Chiropractor associates with.   My best advice for when it comes time to choose a Chiropractor in Ottawa is this; make sure your Chiropractor is open to working cooperatively with health care providers of different disciplines.  To say that any one mode of health care has the ability to fix anything is simply ludicrous.  Optimal health is produced through a team effort!  Make use of the knowledge obtained by various disciplines in their studies.  This will ultimately lead to greater care and hence greater health.

Enjoy the snow!

Your Ottawa Chiropractor,

Dr. Chad Wilson

quicksand dvd

Over the last year and a half, I had had the honour and pleasure of working with a great team within one of the most beautiful buildings in Ottawa.  In two weeks time (end of January), the Seekers Centre for Integrative Medicine will no longer be calling this building at 6 Deakin street it’s home.  As the Seekers Centre searches for a new location, I will be temporarily seeing all of my Seekers Chiropractic patients at Meadowlands Family Health Centre.  A map for this location is located on my website.  I am the sole Chiropractor in this location.  For any of my current or previous Seekers Chiropractic patients, my door at Meadowlands is open to you.  To book a Chiropractic or Active Release appointment, simply call 613-567-CARE (2273) and select ‘Meadowlands’ at the promt.  You will be directed to Lana, our friendly front receptionist. 

I hope everyone is enjoying some of this weekend’s “warmer” weather. 

Your Ottawa Chiropractor,

Dr. Chad Wilson

Looking back, it seems that I drift to my computer and begin blogging whenever we in Ottawa are getting a strong, white dose of winter.  I hope everyone is enjoying mother nature’s fury as I do

Now on to my spew.

Many patients have asked me for my view on Chiropractors in Ottawa taking and reading their own x-rays.  My answer is always as follows. 

X-rays have a legitimate place in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal complaints in a Chiropractor’s office.  As Chiropractors, we have all been through extensive training, as well, we have all passed testing certifying our competency in these areas.  If your Chiropractor takes and/or reads his or her own x-rays, then they are likely to be continually educating themselves on this art.

New regulations passed by the province now allow Chiropractors in Ontario to send their patients for x-rays at government sponsored labs, the same labs where you may be sent by your family doctor or specialist.  The costs for taking x-rays requisitioned by a Chiropractor in Ontario are covered by the health care system.  What the health care system does not cover are the fees associated with the analysis of these x-rays.  These can either be read by your Chiropractor or each patient or Chiropractor can pay a fee to have them read at the lab.

Although my Chiropractic education has trained me in reading and analyzing x-rays, I have made the personal decision to leave the analysis of these x-rays in the hands of the lab.  My recommendation to all patients being requisitioned by their family doctor for spinal x-rays is to request that they be made in a weight bearing position (standing).  In this format, one can see the effects of gravity on the spine and we can look at distortions such as unleveling at various areas of the spine and pelvis.  At the same time, traumas (fractures etc) along with infections and cancers can still be ruled out properly.

Many of my Chiropractic and ART (active release) patients are referred to me by their family physician.  I always try and keep open lines of communication with my patients’ primary doctors.  Through these open lines of communication we are often able to get patients out for appropriate x-rays when needed.   This also ensures that the x-rays are requisitioned in the appropriate format to maximize their diagnostic potential. 

I am in no way suggesting that Chiropractors should not be taking and reading their own x-rays.  This is merely a personal choice to leave this area of practice to those with a great deal more experience, namely the medical or chiropractic radiologists.  There are certainly Chiropractors in Ottawa and the rest of the province who are highly skilled in this area and who choose to integrate this into their practice. 

I’ll try and touch more on this area in the future.  Like everything else in life, I believe that the regulations relating to Chiropractors and x-ray taking/reading are sure to change again at some point in the future.

Until next time, keep well. 

Your Ottawa Chiropractor,

Dr. Chad Wilson