Dr. Botta's Health Blog & News
2/28: Brain Injury, Nerve Damage and Garden Hoses
Posted on: Monday, February 28, 2011
Keywords: Pediatric, Radiology, Health, Children, Chiropractic, Doctor, Nerve, Brain, Fall, Blood
Today as I am sitting in the pediatric waiting area of the radiology department at a highly respected local hospital, I found one of their posters of particular interest. It was made by the NY State Department of Health and said:
"More than one-third of children who fall hit their heads. Even a small tumble can be dangerous because a fall of less than three feet can cause a brain injury."
"Most children fall at home. Look around your home and see how you can make it safer..."
I found it quite interesting because it did not tell you how to fix your child after a fall, only instructed you to fix your home.
As a Doctor of Chiropractic I am always explaining to adults with chronic pain how it is possible that their problems began in childhood. I am also always explaining why it is so important to bring children to get checked for spinal misalignment and undetected nerve damage. My favorite way to explain just how important it is, goes like this: "How the twig is bent, so grows the tree." Now we have the NY State Department of Health telling us that a fall less than three feet can cause a brain injury. WOW! If it can cause a brain injury, it can certainly cause spinal misalignment.
The spine is what protects our spinal cord and forms the exit routes for the nerves to go out and make the entire rest of our body function. An easy way to envision this is to think of the spine as a garden hose, and the nerve flow as water flowing through the hose. What happens when you step on a garden hose? Does the water flow? Of course not! The same is true of nerve flow.
If there are misalignments of the spine, it acts like a foot on the hose and decreases or stops the flow of impulses down the nerve to the target tissue (muscles, organs, blood vessels, etc.) Over time the ability of that nerve to regain function is lost. This is why it is so important to get yourself and your children checked annually for spinal misalignment and undetected nerve damage.
Remember: Nerve damage does not always equal pain!
Most nerves are not pain related. They are for function and when they dysfunction, symptoms like GI Distress, Headaches, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, sciatica, decreased thyroid function and many other problems occur.
A study in Australia found that by the time you are 10 years old the average person has experienced 2000 falls, with 200 of them considered a major impact on the body.A "major impact on the body" does cause spinal misalignment; just as a pothole causes a misalignment for your car.
Now I know you would spend a few dollars to straighten out your car. Shouldn't you do the same for yourself and your kids?
I think I should make the posters for NYS DOH, that way all the bases would be covered.Be Healthy
Dr. BSee Dr. Botta's Practitioner Page
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