5 Qualities To Look For When Choosing A New Dentist
Chiropractic Care
Your dental health is very essential, and the condition of your teeth can even interact with other parts of your body. For example, there’s a huge link between diabetes and dental health, and patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing symptoms like gingivitis. For these reasons, many adults seek dental and chiropractic care as improving their oral and physical health as a whole can complement each other. When choosing a new dentist or chiropractor, there are some considerations people should have:
- The Right Kind of Experience
It’s vital to choose a dentist or chiropractor that has the right kind of experience for your needs. While some patients just need a general dentist for routine cleanings and cavity inspections, other patients may need a dentist that specializes in a certain area, like providing cosmetic dentistry. Likewise, you may need a chiropractor to help with a specific injury or medical condition.
- Read Their Reviews and Get References
It’s always a good idea to read any online reviews that a dentist or chiropractic practice has before deciding to have them check out your teeth. Be sure to see what people are saying, both about their treatments and their customer service. However, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t let one or two negative reviews silence out all the other positive reviews. For example, take a review that complains about the waiting room being too loud or an appointment being pushed back ten minutes with a grain of salt.
- Wait Times Do Matter, However
When going to a dentist or chiropractic appointment, patients typically understand they may not receive treatment right on time. However, there’s a big difference between having to wait up to a few extra minutes to receive treatment and being stuck in the waiting room for hours. Online reviews can give you a better idea of how long wait times will be.
- Check What Types of Insurance They Accept
Dental care can be extremely expensive, especially for treatments like fillings or root canals. While chiropractic care generally isn’t as expensive, it can still come at a cost. Unfortunately, some dental or chiropractic offices won’t accept certain insurance plans and you should always see if an office will accept your insurance plan. You should also check exactly what treatments that insurance plan covers, as some treatments may not be covered. Lastly, ask about copays.
- See How the Waiting Room and Other Areas Appear
There are some businesses where a lit bit of dirt or disorganization may not be a huge deterrent, such as a car repair shop. However, when it comes to dental and chiropractic offices, there should be a high level of cleanliness. Not only does an unclean medical office look unprofessional, but it can also introduce germs and bacteria that can compromise a patient’s health.
What Are 5 Signs You Should See A Chiropractor?
It can be hard to admit when we’re in pain and need help. We often tell ourselves that the pain we feel in our back or neck is because we were working too hard at work or we slept badly. We’ll brush the pain off and tell ourselves that it will improve in a day or two. Next thing you know, it’s been a week or more, and we’re still in the same amount of pain or worse. Most people don’t like going to the doctor unless they feel like they need to. Additionally, we associate seeing the chiropractor with specific injuries or medical conditions. However, we’ll explore five surprising signs that may indicate you need to see a chiropractor.
- Do You Keep Getting Frequent Headaches?
You may need to see a chiropractor if you find yourself getting frequent headaches or migraines. You may have pressure on your neck or spine, creating these frequent headaches. A misaligned spine can restrict blood flow, meaning your brain receives less of it, triggering headaches. By realigning your body, a chiropractor can improve your oxygen levels.
- Do You Rely Too Much On Painkillers?
It’s normal for adults to wake up, feel some pain like a headache, and take a couple of aspirin or ibuprofen. These painkillers are so common place you can buy them over the counter, including inside gas stations. However, while painkillers are good in a pinch, if you find yourself taking some every couple of days or more, you may have a problem that painkillers will only delay and not resolve.
- Do You Have Decreased Mobility and Flexibility?
As we age, we naturally start having less mobility and flexibility. Even if you try to stay active, you’ll quickly find that you’re not as agile as you once were. While this is a natural part of aging, that doesn’t mean treatment isn’t available. Unfortunately, there are no time machines or a fountain of youth. However, regular chiropractic sessions can help restore some loss of flexibility.
- Do You Have Bad Posture?
We associate needing to see a chiropractor with the elderly and athletes that push themselves too hard in a big game. However, office workers can actually be very susceptible to issues like neck, back, and shoulder pain. Not only are they bound to be less physically active, but they often practice poor posture. It’s too easy to find yourself starting to slouch more as you spend eight hours a day typing away on your laptop. A chiropractor can help realign your body and advise you on practicing better posture going forward.
- Do You Want To Make Lifestyle Changes?
Lastly, it might be time to visit a chiropractor if you want to make lifestyle changes such as improving your diet, becoming more active, relieving stress, sleeping better, etc. A chiropractor does more than realign your spine after you fall down. A chiropractor can help you lead a better lifestyle. Spinal manipulation itself increases blood flow and oxygen levels, leading to better digestion, less stress, and greater sleep. Regardless of your reasons, when you need a chiropractor in Catonsville, MD, our team can help. Call us today at Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic!
Two Dead Following Severe Car Crash In Baltimore, MD
Most of us drive every day without getting a second thought about how dangerous it can be. Nine times out of ten, you’ll never experience any real dangers as long as you’re smart about driving. However, tragedy can still strike; unfortunately, people sometimes die from a crash. In late November 2022, police responded to an incident on the 1900 block of W. Northern Parkway near Greenhaven Drive.
Around 3:30 p.m., a 2008 Nissan was heading to W. Northern Parkway. As they were driving, another car lost control, crashing into the road’s median strip and flipping over. Unfortunately, two people died—a 23-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man. While the exact cause as to why the vehicle lost control is unknown, many residents attest to how Northern Parkway is a “speedway.” So one person interviewed, Jill Yesko, wasn’t surprised a fatal accident occurred.
Other people in the area believe that rainy weather could have also played a role. Even when driving slowly and exercising extreme caution, weather conditions like rain can make navigating difficult. Unfortunately, two of the people involved could not survive the car crash.
Even when surviving a car crash, long-lasting injuries can occur. These injuries can range from minor bruises and scrapes to traumatic brain injuries. Likewise, medical treatments can also vary. Sometimes victims may just need to stay in the hospital overnight and pick up a prescription for pain medicine. Other times, however, victims may need a long road to recovery, including invasive surgeries.
Unfortunately, surgery can only do so much, and while it can save a victim’s life, it may not always restore their range of motion or flexibility. For these reasons, people often need physical therapy. Sometimes physical therapy is highly recommended by your primary care provider, and other times might be a supplement or alternative to current treatments.
Car crashes can also lead to strokes or stroke-like symptoms. Physical therapy can help keep a patient’s muscles active and toned, maintain circulation, and prevent overall stiffness. By returning functionality to these areas, a patient will be more likely to recover. While physical therapy can’t always completely restore a patient’s functionality before a crash, it can greatly help. Physical therapy can prevent you from needing invasive surgeries and can mean the difference between whether or not a person can walk again.
There’s a misconception that physical therapy is only for major injuries or following surgery. However, even people with minor injuries or minor conditions can benefit from physical therapy. Additionally, you don’t necessarily seek physical therapy after invasive surgery. Instead, it’s often recommended to undergo physical therapy to avoid surgery. Of course, surgery is sometimes necessary, but physical therapy can sometimes be the better alternative.
While it’s not always possible to avoid car crashes or strokes, help is available should these events happen. When you require Baltimore, MD, physical therapy, our Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic office can help by prescribing you or your loved ones with the right treatment plans!
Fiery Crash Claims Lives Of Two Victims In Bowie, MD
Every time we step inside our vehicles, we assume some risk. Although today’s vehicles have plenty of new safety features, accidents can still happen. Many of these features are to minimize safety risks, but they can’t completely prevent them. Unfortunately, sometimes these accidents can be out of our hands with common safety risks, including the following:
Weather Conditions
Certain weather conditions make it harder to drive. In particular, winter storms can be extremely nasty. While it’s good practice to avoid the roads during an intense blizzard, some drivers still are forced to drive during lots of snow and ice to get to work or other locations. Besides the initial winter storm, snow and ice can make roads hard to navigate several days or weeks later—especially during freezing temperatures. However, even rainstorms can make it challenging to drive.
Road Conditions
Road conditions themselves can make it hard to drive. Crumbling infrastructure is a significant problem in the United States and can be cumbersome in rural areas.
Actions of Other Drivers
Actions that specific drivers take can also trigger accidents. Issues like distracted driving, driving while under the influence, reckless driving, etc., can all cause accidents.
Bowie, MD, Accident
Earlier in Bowie, MD, in May 2022, two people died after a fiery car crash. The current reasons for what caused the impact are still unknown. However, authorities do know that a car drove off the road, hit a pole, and caught on fire.
Recovering After a Car Crash
Sometimes, a car crash can claim the lives of victims. Many times, however, victims can survive, but their road to recovery can vastly differ. Even minor fender-benders can cause injuries that victims will need to deal with. Following a car crash, it’s instrumental in calling the authorities and seeking medical attention. You may have internal injuries even if you don’t see any injuries at first glance. Having EMTs check you or visiting your primary care provider should always be your first step.
Afterward, you can seek treatment, including chiropractic care. While you should never substitute chiropractic care for primary care, there are plenty of benefits. In some cases, chiropractic care can even help you avoid surgeries. While surgeries are sometimes necessary, other times, alternative care can be an option. Surgery can be highly invasive, disrupt your life, and extend your recovery time. Chiropractic care can also help mitigate reduced flexibility, pain, or discomfort that surgery can’t help with. Another way chiropractic care can help following a car crash is by reducing a victim’s reliance on pain medication.
While pain medication serves a purpose, many people agree that sometimes we rely too heavily on medication. Sometimes, people become addicted to certain types of pain medication. Also, medication is often a temporary solution that helps treat symptoms but may not target the problem. Again, you should never substitute chiropractic therapy for your primary care, but sometimes you can use it to complement existing treatments. Our Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic can help pair you with a chiropractor Bowie, MD, when you call us today!
Annapolis, MD, Man Deceased After Fatal Car Crash
Around 12:45 a.m., on November 19th, 2022—a Saturday—police from Glen Burnie Barrack received a report about a five-car collision that occurred on Interstate 97, Route 32, southbound. Occurring in Anne Arundel County, this crash first began when Asia Lashae Bryant-Pelloni, 30, a resident of Bowie, Maryland, crashed her 2009 Honda Accord into a 2012 Ford Fiesta.
This preliminary crash prompted a 2017 Honda CRV driver to try to avoid the collision by swerving. By swerving, however, they then crashed into a 2019 Nissan Sentra. A fifth vehicle, a 2013 Cadillac SRX, crashed into debris from collisions. Unfortunately, this crash took the life of Brian Mahaney, 68, of Annapolis, a passenger in the 2012 Ford Fiesta.
Asia Lashae Bryant-Pelloni was arrested and reported to be impaired while driving. Alongside being charged with impaired driving, Bryant-Pelloni was also charged for:
- Vehicular homicide while impaired
- Negligent vehicular manslaughter
- Negligent vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol
Unfortunately, events like these happen more than they should. Even as vehicles become safer, factors like impaired driving can quickly throw safety features out of the window. Currently, there’s not much information regarding what happened to the other drivers and passengers. For Brian Mahaney, unfortunately, the crash resulted in taking his life.
The other drivers and passengers may require physical therapy or chiropractic care. Even smaller collisions, such as the one driver colliding with wreckage, can result in serious physical injuries. While chiropractic care is never a substitute for receiving help from a primary care provider, it can help to complement treatment.
Many car crash victims find themselves with lingering effects from a crash. Even if they don’t need to receive surgeries or extensive physical therapy, they can still have tense muscles, neck, back, and shoulder pain.
The proper treatment plan can help victims recover after a car crash. Chiropractic care brings many benefits, whether they have extreme injuries that require surgery or minor discomfort. Some of these benefits are:
- Helps a victim’s body release anti-inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals reduce their internal swelling and promote greater healing.
- Chiropractic care can help ease their pain if a person suffers from whiplash.
- Many victims suffered from reduced flexibility after a car crash due to misaligned spine joints. Chiropractic care can restore flexibility by realigning a person’s spine and joints.
- Chiropractic care can also reduce scar tissue. Following a car crash, it’s normal for tendons and muscles to get damaged. Your body will naturally try to heal them by forming scar tissue. Unfortunately, this can cause discomfort and stiffness. Chiropractic care can speed up scar tissue healing effects.
- Sometimes it’s necessary to undergo surgery following a traumatic event like a car crash. However, chiropractic care can also prevent victims from needing surgery.
Car crashes happen daily and can be deadly when a driver is impaired. While visiting an Annapolis, MD chiropractor should never be a substitute for a primary care provider, it can help aid your recovery process. Reach out to our Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic team today to see if treatment is right for you!